Open varsity, medical vans in memory of Sathya Sai

The state division of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Trust, on Saturday, announced a series of social development projects to be completed this year, to mark the first death anniversary of Sathya Sai Baba.

The state division of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Trust, on Saturday, announced a series of social development projects to be completed this year, to mark the first death anniversary of Sathya Sai Baba.

HT Image

Sathya Sai Baba passed away in Puttaparthi on April 24, 2011.

Some of the projects include the setting up of a spiritual open university and a wellness centre in the trust's state headquarters in Dharmakshetra in Andheri (East) and providing free mobile medical van service and basic meals in the city's rural pockets.

The trust will also install a replica of Sathya Sai Baba, a few days after his mahasamadhi celebrations in Puttaparthi.

"Every time Baba paid a visit to Mumbai, devotees thronged the blessing area in Dharmakshetra. The statue that is being made will show Baba blessing his devotees from a pedestal," said Anoop Saxena, district president of the Mumbai division, Sri Sai Trust (Maharashtra).

"Since most of the city devotees will head to Puttaparthi for the mahasamadhi anniversary, we will unveil the statue on their return," added Saxena.

During the next three months, the trust will hold several socio-cultural programmes to spread Baba's messages including a musical evening with Baba's bhajans, mass distribution of food to the poor and lectures on Sathya Sai Baba's philosophies.

"Baba left his mortal form last year. However, his preachings on human values and love are universal lessons to overcome social evils," said Geeta Reddy, minister of major industries in the Andhra Pradesh government, who participated in a panel discussion on the relevance of Sathya Sai Baba's lessons in the country's present political scenario, on Saturday.

Former chief justice PN Bhagwati, who also participated in the discussion, said that post Baba's death, the Sathya Sai Central Trust did not have any trouble in dealing with the administrative and financial matters.