Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today addressed the birth centenary celebrations of Lord Sri Sathya Sai Baba in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh. The Prime Minister started his speech with “Sai Ram” and said that being present among everyone on the holy land of Puttaparthi was an emotional and spiritual experience. He recalled that recently he had the opportunity to offer floral tributes at Babani Samadhi. PM Modi emphasized that the heart is always filled with deep emotions by bowing at Baba’s feet and seeking his blessings.
Emphasizing that Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s birth centenary is not just a celebration but a divine blessing for this generation, PM Modi said that even though Baba is no longer physically present, his teachings, his love and his spirit of service continue to guide millions of people across the world. The Prime Minister emphasized that in more than 140 countries, countless lives are moving forward with new light, direction and determination.
Emphasizing that the life of Sri Sathya Sai Baba was the living embodiment of the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam, the Prime Minister said, “Therefore, this birth centenary year has become a grand celebration of universal love, peace and service. The Government is privileged to release a commemorative coin and postage stamp of Rs 100 on this occasion, which reflects Baba’s legacy of service.” He extended his heartfelt greetings and good wishes to Baba’s devotees, fellow volunteers and followers across the world.
The Prime Minister said, “The central value of Indian citizenship is service.” He emphasized that all the diverse spiritual and philosophical traditions of India ultimately lead to this one ideal. Whether a person follows the path of devotion, knowledge or action, all are connected to service. He questioned what is devotion without serving God present in all living beings, what is knowledge if it does not awaken compassion for others and what is karma if it does not involve the spirit of dedicating one’s actions to the service of society. PM Modi stressed, “‘Seva Paramo Dharma’ is the ethos that has sustained India through change and challenges over the centuries and given its inner strength to our civilization. Many great saints and reformers have put forward this eternal message in a manner appropriate to their times. Sri Satya Sai Baba placed service at the center of human life.” He remembered Baba’s words, “Love everyone, serve everyone” and assured that for Baba, service is love in action. The Prime Minister said that Babani’s institutions in education, healthcare, rural development and many other sectors are living proof of this philosophy. These institutions show that spirituality and service are not separate entities, but different expressions of the same truth. PM Modi further said that, it is not unusual when people are inspired by Baba’s physical presence, the service activities of Baba’s organizations keep increasing day by day despite his physical absence. He said that this shows that the influence of true great men does not diminish with time, but keeps increasing.
Emphasizing that Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s message was never limited to books, sermons or ashrams, PM Modi said that the impact of Baba’s teachings is clearly visible on the people. From cities to remote villages, from schools to tribal settlements, there is an incredible flow of culture, education and medical services across India. Lakhs of Baba’s followers are selflessly engaged in this work. He said that “Service to humanity is service to Madhav” is the highest ideal for Baba’s devotees. The Prime Minister further said that Baba gave many thoughts which reflect the essence of compassion, duty, discipline and philosophy of life. He recalled Baba’s guiding principles: “Always help, never harm” and “Speak less, do more” and said that these life mantras of Sri Sathya Sai Baba still resonate in everyone’s heart.
Emphasizing that Sri Satya Sai Baba had used spirituality for the welfare of society and people, the Prime Minister linked it to selfless service, character building and value-based education. He emphasized that Baba did not impose any doctrine or ideology, but worked to help the poor and relieve their suffering. PM Modi recalled that after the Gujarat earthquake, Baba’s Seva Dal was at the forefront of relief work. His followers were serving with full dedication for many days, making a significant contribution in providing relief to the affected families, providing essential supplies and providing mental support.
The Prime Minister said that when a visit can melt someone’s heart or change the course of their life, it shows the greatness of that person. Even in the current incident, there were many people whose lives were greatly transformed by Baba’s message.
Expressing satisfaction that inspired by Sri Satya Sai Baba, Sri Satya Sai Central Trust and its affiliated organizations are providing service in an organized, institutionalized and sustainable manner, PM Modi said that today this is a practical model. He praised the significant work being done in areas like water, housing, healthcare, nutrition, disaster relief and clean energy. The Prime Minister highlighted several service initiatives: the Trust laid over 3,000 kilometers of pipelines to address the acute drinking water crisis in Rayalaseema; Built 1,000 houses for flood-hit families in Odisha; And they run such hospitals where poor families are often surprised to not see the billing counter. He said that even though the treatment is free, patients and their families do not have to face any inconvenience. The Prime Minister further said that today more than 20,000 Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana accounts have been opened in the name of daughters, which ensures their education and secure future.
Referring to the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana launched by the Government of India ten years ago, PM Modi had asserted that it is one of the few schemes in the country which offers the highest interest rate of 8.2 percent to our daughters. He informed that under this scheme, more than 40 million accounts have been opened for girls across India and till now Rs. More than Rs 3.25 lakh crore has been deposited. The Prime Minister had praised the excellent initiative of Sri Sathya Sai family in opening 20,000 Sukanya Samriddhi accounts here. Referring to his opinion, he said that in February last year, he had come to Varanasi to open 27,000 Sukanya Samriddhi accounts for girls, in which each account had Rs. 300 were deposited. He stressed that Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana is playing an important role in ensuring the education and secure future of girls.
The Prime Minister said that in the last eleven years, numerous schemes have been launched in India, which significantly strengthen the social security structure for the citizens. He stressed that the poor and deprived people are rapidly being brought under the social safety net. Only 250 million people were covered in 2014, whereas today this number has reached almost 1 billion. PM Modi further said that India’s welfare and social security schemes are being discussed at the international level.
PM Modi also noted that on this day he got the opportunity to participate in a cow donation programme, where a trust is donating 100 cows to poor farming families. In Indian tradition, cow is considered a symbol of life, prosperity and compassion. These cows will contribute to the economic, nutritional and social stability of the beneficiary families. The Prime Minister said that the message of prosperity through cow protection has been resonating across the world. He recalled that under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, more than 480 Gir cows were distributed in Varanasi a few years ago, and today the number of Gir cows and calves there has reached about 1,700. He explained that a new tradition has been started in Varanasi where female calves born from distributed cows are given free of cost to farmers in other areas, thereby increasing the cow population. PM Modi also recalled that during his visit to Rwanda in Africa 7-8 years ago, India had gifted 200 Gir cows. He explained that Rwanda has a similar tradition called “Girinka,” which means “you get the cow,” where the first female calf born is given to a neighboring family. These practices have increased nutrition, milk production, income and social cohesion in Rwanda.
The Prime Minister emphasized that Brazil has adopted the Gir and Kankarez breeds from India and improved them through modern technology and scientific management, making them a source of excellent dairy performance. He said that such examples show that tradition, compassion and scientific thinking make the cow a symbol of faith, empowerment, nutrition and economic progress. He expressed happiness that this tradition is moving forward here with good intentions.
Emphasizing that the nation is moving towards a developed India with the spirit of “Call of Duty” and active citizen participation is necessary to achieve this goal, PM Modi said that the birth centenary of Sri Satya Sai Baba is the main source of inspiration in this journey. He urged everyone to strengthen the mantra of “Local for Local” during this special year, saying that it is necessary to give a boost to the local economy to make a developed India. The Prime Minister reminded that buying local products directly empowers families, small industries and local supply chains, paving the way for a self-reliant India.
