Personalities visiting Sri Sathya
Sai Baba
From Sanathana Sarathi, July 1994
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The president of India, Dr.
Shankar Dayal Sharma visited Brindavan topay his respects to
Bhagavan on June 5th of 1994. Bhagavan entered the Santhi Vedikain
Sai Ramesh Mandap together with Dr. Sharma.
The President, in his address,
hailed Bhagavan as the great Acharya, who is ashining example of
the term Acharya. Acharya, he said, means not only one who teaches
but one who practices the teachings.
From Sanathana Sarathi, Nov. -
Dec. 1995
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In the morning of November 18th,
1995 at Poornachandra Auditorium, the Prime Minister of India,
Sri P.V. Narashimha Rao, inaugurated the supply of pure
drinking water to Ananthapur town, by pressing a button, when the
pumps in town were activated by remote control and water started
flowing in the taps at Ananthapur. A message was received on the
telephone, which was amplified on the public address system, so
that thousands of people gathered could hear. There was a working
model of the water project on the stage. A report on the Drinking
Water Project was given by Sri K. Chakravarthy. Technical details
of the project were spelt out by Sri Kondal Rao, Engineering
Consultant of the Andhra Pradesh Government, who expressed his
gratitude to Bhagavan, but for whose sustained interest, the work
could not have been completed in such record time. The Chief
Minister of Andhra Pradesh spoke expressing his gratitude to
Bhagavan.
The Prime Minister then spoke in
Telug, on the magnitude of the project which had been carried out
by the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust to provide drinking water to
lakhs of villagers.
Bhagavan then addressed the
gathering and made special mention of the co-operation extended by
the State and Central Governments in executing the project. He
made a powerful plea for making rivers national property
controlled by the Centre, so as to eliminate inter-state dispute.
On November 22nd at 3:30 p.m. at
the occasion of Fourteenth Convocation of the Sri Sathya Sai
Institute of Higher Learning Bhagavan Baba, the Chancellor of the
Institute, The Chief Guest, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Finance
Minister, Government of India, Sri S.B. Chavan, Union Home
Minister, The Vice-Chancellor, Dr. K. Hanumanthappa, Members of
the Governig Body of the Institute and Members of the Academic
council, arrived at the Vidyagiri Stadium and went in
ceremonial procession to the Santhi Vedika.
Dr. Manmohan Singh, Finance
Minister, Government of India, stated in his address "In our
own time, Bhagavan Baba with his emphasis on Dharma, right moral
conduct, and the fundamental unity of human relationship is
preparing humankind for the new universal civilization of love and
brotherhood. The lamp lit by Bhagavan is no ordinary lamp. I am
confident that the light it emits is powerful enough to reach
every nook and corner of the world".
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On 23rd November, even from the
early hours of the morning people were trekking in their thousands
to the Stadium to witness the historic celebration of the 70th
Birthday of the Avatar. Precisely at 7:30 A.M. Bhagavan came in a
gaily decorated gleaming silver chariot, dressed in a white robe.
Large hatches of folk dance performers marched ahead. Seven
hundred devotees dressed in yellow dhotis, marched in procession
carrying Kavadis. Sai Gita, draped in richly embroidered silken
robe, headed the procession, with Veda-chanting boys following
her. It was a magnificent spectacle for the vast gathering of
devotees. A glider was circling over the stadium dropping flowers
and confetti over the Santhi Vedika.
From Sanathana Sarathi, January
1996
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The third International Symposium
of Cardio-Vascular Diseases was held in Sathya Sai Institute
Auditorium at Prasanthi Nilayam on December 16, 1995. The
three-day symposium was formally inaugurated by Dr. Karan
Singh, former Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. J.S. Bajaj, Member,
Planning Commission and President, National Board Examinations.
Arrangements had been made for
the symposium, which was attended by 201 delegates, including 48
delegates from overseas countries, and 107 special invitees. Among
the foreign delegates were many outstanding specialists in their
respective fields, including Dr. Ronald Ross from U.K., Dr.
George Reed, U.S.A., Dr. Lawrence I. Bonchek, U.S.A., Dr. Bruce
Davis, Australia, Dr. Carlos Mestres, Spain, and Dr. H.S. Saw,
Singapore. Several distinguished Indian doctors were among the
overseas delegates. The Indian participation was also at a high
level.
The valedictory function on
December 18th was presided over by Sri. A.R. Antulay, Union
Minister for Health and Family Welfare, who commended the
unique service rendered by Bhagavanユs Super Speciality Hospital,
which had no parallel anywhere in the world.
The inaugural function began
precisely at 8 a.m. when Bhagavan Baba arrived at the Auditorium
accompanied by Dr. Karan Singh and Dr. Bajaj. After they had taken
their seats on the exquisitely decorated stage, there was
invocation by students.
Dr. Karan Singh lighted the
sacred lamps on the stage to mark the inauguration of the
symposium.
From Sanathana Sarathi, April 1996
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On the occasion of Yugaadi, the
lunar new year day, of March 20, 1996, Bhagavan at the Sai Ramesh
Mandap in Brindavan, whitefield with Sri Shivraj Patil, Speaker
of the Lok Sabha, Sri S.B. Chavan, Union Home Minister, Mr.
Khurshe Alam Khan, Governor of Karnataka, Sri H.D.Deve Gowda,
Chief Minister of Karnataka, and Dr. Somaiya, Vice-President of
the Somaiya Trust.
From Sanathana Sarathi, June 1996
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The summer school for the
students of the Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning conducted
at the Brindavan Campus was inaugurated by Bhagavan Baba on the
morning of 20th May, 1995 at the Institute Auditorium.
The Chief Minister of
Karnataka Shri. Deve Gowda, in his
inaugural address on that occasion, paid glowing tributes to
Bhagavan Baba for the great service to mankind that He is doing
apart from restoration of the sacred Indian Culture and human
values correcting the damage done in the recent past. He cite the
establishment of the Institute of Higher Learning providing
education of the highest standard totally free of cost from K.G.
to P.G., a parallel to which could be found nowhere in the world.
The Superspeciality Hospital established by Bhagavan is another
example of His compassion and interest in provision of medical aid
of the highest standard free of cost to the people without
distinction on any sort. He extolled the recent scheme of Bhagavan
for providing supply of pure drinking water to villages in
backward areas at a cost of several hundred crores, which is being
executed at a fast pace .
From Sanathana Sarathi, December
1997
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The Six-teenth Convocation of Sri
Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learnig was held on 22nd November,
1997 in Poornachandra Auditorium by the presence of the
Chancellor, Bhagavan Baba, the Chief Guest, Sri Krishna Kant,
Vice-President of India, and the Vice- Chancellor, Dr. G.
Venkataraman.
Sri Krishna Kant, Vice-President
of India, stated while delivering his Convocation Address "The
very presence of Sri Sathya Sai Baba ensures the Instituteユs
unique place, which will remain unparalleled. It is under His
guiding hand that the students of this Institute are preparing for
life, not merely with tools of academic excellence, but with
reserves of morality and values which will mark them out as future
leaders of society".
From Sanathana Sarathi, January
1998
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December 30, 1997 has become yet
another Red-Letter-Day in the annals of the Sathya Sai Era. On
that day, a one day cricket match of a kind never witnessed before
in history of cricket was played in the Sri Sathya Sai Hill View
Cricket Stadium in the presence of Bhagavan Baba by an India XI
and an International XI witnessed by an immense gathering of
enthusiastic devotees, with the inspiring figures of saints and
gods watching the scene from Vidyagiri Hill. It was truly a unique
event in cricket history.
In the opening ceremony, the flag
was hoisted by Sri I.K. Gujral, Prime Minister of India,
amidst loud cheering and clapping.
Apart from the Prime Minister,
among the special invitees present on the dais were
Sri Chandra Babu Naidu and Sri J.H. Patel, Chief
Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and Sri Lakshman
Khadirgamar, Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka.
From Sanathana Sarathi, December
1998
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On 22nd November of 1998, the
17th Convocation of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning
was held in Sai Kulwant Hall by the presence of the gusts,
Prime Minister, Sri Atal Behari Vajpayee and Andhra Pradesh Chief
Minister, Sri N. Chandrababu Naidu. Sri Atal Behari Vajpayee,
Prime Minister of India stated while delivering his Convocation
Address "The Indian tradition believes that Truth or Sathya is
God. As the Sai model of education affirms, the students of this
university are not just students, but seekers of Truth. The divine
guidance of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has, thus, elevated even
education to the level of worship of God".
From Sanathana Sarathi, March 1999
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The King and the Queen of Nepal
with Bhagavan.
From Sanathana Sarathi, April 1999
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Prime Minister, Sri Atal Behari Vajpayee
and other dignitaries with Bhagavan during His visit to Delhi from
11th to 14th March 1999. The first major event during the Delhi
visit was the inauguration of Sri Sathya Sai International Center.
From Sanathana Sarathi, September
2000
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The Prime Minister of Nepal
and his daughter with Bhagavan Baba during their visit to
Prasanthi Nilayam on 5th August 2000.
From Sanathana Sarathi, December
2000
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Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba,
Chancellor, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning,
delivering His Benedictory Address on the 19th Convocation of the
Institute dated November 22, 2000. Also seen in the picture
(sitting left to right) are former Union Minister, Sri S.B.
Chavan, Chief guest, Union Minister for Human Resource Department,
Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Vice Chancellor, Sri S.V. Giri and Andhra
Pradesh Chief Minister, Sri Chandrababu Naidu.
From Sanathana Sarathi, September
2001
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The Vice-President of India Sri
Krishna Kant with Bhagavan Baba on Krishna Janmashtami Day (11th
August, 2001) in Sai Kulwant Hall.
From Sanathana Sarathi, February
2002
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"Sai Health Meet 2002" was held
on the occation of the 1st anniversary of Sri Sathya Sai Institute
of Higher Medical Science, Whilefield (Bangalore) on 19th January
2002 by the presence of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Union Minister for
Health, Dr. C.P. Thakur, Karnataka Chief Minister, Sri S.M.
Krishna and Maharashtra Chief Minister, Sri Vilasrao Deshmukh.
From Sanathana Sarathi, December
2002
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The President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul
Kalam delivered the Convocation Address at the 21st
Convocation of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning held in
Sai Kulwant Hall, Prasanthi Nilayam on 22nd November 2002.
Appreciating the valuable role played by Sri
Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning in imparting value based
education to its students under the divine direction of Bhagavan
Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul
Kalam observed that this system of education would give to the
country great leaders to make it a developed nation. He said, ?As
the vision for Independence Movement created so many leaders, I am
sure Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, with its value
based education in this divine environment, will generate great
leaders who will excel in various fields and actively participate
in the mission to transfer India into a developed nation.?
From Sanathana Sarathi, July 2003
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Chief Minister of Karnataka
Sri S.M. Krishna and Governor Sri T.N. Chaturvedi with
Bhagawan Baba on Doctorユs day at Brindavan on July 5th 2003.
From Sanathana Sarathi, November
2003
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The seminar of vice chancellors on value education and ethics
was held on October 28, 2003. The inaugural function was addressed
by Dr. Arun Nigavekar, Chairman, University Grants Commission,
Sri S.V. Giri, Vice Chancellor, SSSIHL, Dr. G. Venkataraman,
former Vice Chancellor, SSSIHL and Justice Ranganath Mishra,
former Chief Justice of India.
From Sanathana Sarathi, December
2003
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Sri Bhairon Singh Shekawat,
Vice President of India, attended to the 22nd Convocation of
Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning on 22nd November 2003
as Chief Guest of the Convocation with the Revered Chancellor of
the Institute, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
See also:
Vice President appreciates Sathya Sai System of Education
From The Tribune, India,
February 12, 2004
Vajpayee meets Sai Baba
Puttaparthi (Andhra Pradesh), February 12
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had an one-hour-long audience
with spiritual leader Sai Baba, the second during his two-day
visit to this spiritual town, before emplaning for Delhi this
morning.
Official sources said Mr Vajpayee met Sai Baba at his abode,
Prashanti Nilayam, where the Prime Minister stayed overnight and
had a 15-minute audience soon after his arrival amidst
unprecedented security here yesterday.
In the wake of the activities of the outlawed PWG in Ananthpur
district, the police had sanitised the entire route from the
airport to Prashanti Nilayam. Bomb disposal squads were deployed
and round-the-clock patrol held as a part of the beefed-up
security. ? PTI
Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee with Sai Baba at Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh on
Thursday.
? PTI photo |
Prime Minister Sri Atal Behari
Vajpayee with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba |
From Sanathana Sarathi, March 2004
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Prime Minister Sri Atal Behari
Vajpayee and Andhre Pradesh Chief Minister Sri N. Chandrababu
Naidu with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba when they visited
Prasanthi Milayam to have His Darshan on 12 the Februay 2004.
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