Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the Centenary Celebrations of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, today. Marking the centenary, he released a special commemorative ₹100 coin and a set of special postage stamps honouring the life, teachings and enduring legacy of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba along with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said being in the divine presence of Baba has always been an emotional and spiritual experience for him. He said the central value of Indian civilisation has always been service, and the guiding principle of ‘Sevoparama Dharmah’ has sustained the nation through centuries. He noted that although Sri Sathya Sai Baba is not physically present, his eternal principles of love, service and universal brotherhood continue to guide crores of devotees across the world.
Highlighting Baba’s core teachings of Love All, Serve All; Help Ever, Hurt Never; Less Talk, More Work, the Prime Minister said Sri Sathya Sai Baba not only preached these ideals but also lived them fully. He praised the commendable work being carried out by the Sri Sathya Sai Trust in healthcare, education, rural development, drinking water supply, housing, nutrition and clean energy.
The Prime Minister recalled the Trust’s significant contributions during the Gujarat earthquake. He acknowledged the Trust’s initiative in opening 20,000 Sukanya Samruddhi Yojana accounts. He said that across the country, more than four crore such accounts have been opened so far, with savings of nearly 3.5 lakh crore rupees, reflecting growing financial security for girl children. Mr Modi said India is moving confidently towards the goal of Viksit Bharat, and urged every citizen to contribute to this national journey.
He noted that the Union Government has expanded social security coverage from 25 crore people in 2014 to nearly 100 crore people at present. He also appealed to the public to support the Vocal for Local initiative by purchasing locally made products and strengthening the local economy. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister performed special prayers at the Maha Samadhi in Prasanthi Nilayam. He also participated in the Godanam programme, donating cows to four farmers as part of a traditional act.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan Union Ministers K. Rammohan Naidu, G. Kishan Reddy, Bhupatiraju Srinivasa Varma, Sathya Sai Central Trust Managing Trustee R. J. Ratnakar, Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, state ministers, public representatives and officials were present on the occasion.
