A new 400-bedded multi-specialty hospital has been initiated by Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai at Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli, Karnataka. Instituted under the Prashanti Balamandira Trust, the hospital will provide medical care completely free of cost to the rural poor and needy. The hospital premises will also house a medical college that will offer completely free of cost medical education to the rural poor.
On April 01, 2022, Honourable Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister for Cooperation, Sri Amit Shah, along with Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai, laid the foundation stone for the hospital.
This is in keeping with the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Sri Narendra Modi’s call for greater participation of Private and Social Institutions to strengthen Medical Education in the country. This is particularly in the wake of the recent dislocation of Indian medical students from Ukraine and also to curtail the large number of students opting for medical education outside the country due to challenges of seat availability and affordability. The Prashanthi Balamandira Trust has taken this noble initiative to create and nurture committed and skilled doctors to serve the country’s remote geographies and populations.
The proposed new hospital will be located adjoining the Sri Sathya Sai Sarla Memorial Hospital at Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli, Karnataka. The Sri Sarla Memorial Hospital, a completely free of cost, 150-bedded multi-specialty hospital, has been rendering compassionate healthcare services to the needy sections of society. This hospital in unique in that it does not have a single billing counter anywhere in its premises. It was dedicated to the nation by the Honourable Chief Minister of Karnataka Sri Basavaraj Bommai in August 2021. The proposed new 400-bedded hospital block will offer many more specialities, absolutely free of cost.
Following the Foundation stone laying ceremony, to commemorate this noble beginning, all the devotees, ashramites and students of Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Gurukulam of Institutions gathered at Sri Sathya Sai Premamrutham Hall, Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli. Along with Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai and Sri Amit Shah, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Shri Pralhad Joshi; Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Basavaraj Bommai; Minister of Small Scale Industries and Municipal Administration of Karnataka, Shri MTB Nagaraj; Minister of Home Affairs, Government of Karnataka, Shri Araga Jnanendra, and Minister of Health and Family Welfare, and Medical Education, Government of Karnataka, Dr K Sudhakar were also present at the event.
The event commenced with vedic chants by the students. This was followed by a brief video clip showcasing the various service activities spearheaded by Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai over the past 10 years. Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai has been carrying forward the mission of spirituality and service by furthering the cause of Sri Sathya Sai Baba through several humanitarian service projects in the fields of healthcare, nutrition, and education across 33 countries globally.
Sri B N Narasimha Murthy, Chief Mentor, Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Gurukulam Group of Institutions, and Chancellor, Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence, then delivered the introductory affress. Warmly thanking the Hon’able Home Minister Shri Amit Shah for gracing the occasion, Sri Narasimha Murthy said, “What the present Government is doing under the leadership of our Honourable Prime Minister and Home Minister will go down in history as absolutely spectacular and remarkable. They are not only bringing about material and economic advancement, but are giving a new direction to the cultural history of India. This is happening for the first time and historians will note that during this time the cultural history of India was being given a new turn.” Introducing Sri C Sreenivas, Chairperson of the Health and Education Trust, Sri Sathya Sai Group of Institutions, Sri B N Narasimha Murthy said, “Brother Sreenivas and I have lived with, worked with and have served Baba for more than 40 years. Sri Sathya Sai Baba has visited this institution 29 times between 1978 and 2009.
“With his advent, Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai has been taking Baba’s glorious work forward. Tremendous work has happened — the establishment of 26 educational campuses in Karnataka in the last 10 years, 4 multi-specialty hospitals across the country, centres in more than 30 countries, 12 new ashrams have been established for the propagation of the immortal message of India – all under the inspiration of Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai. The UGC committee that came to visit our educational campus wrote, ‘In India, for the first time, completely free education including boarding and lodging and all facilities are being given at the Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence’. The ground breaking ceremony for the 400-bedded hospital has taken place and the bhoomi pooja for the Sri Sathya Sai Rajeshwari Academic Block for the medical college was done by the Honourable Chief Minister of Karnataka, Sri Basavaraj Bommai. The university is taking bold strides to open a medical college completely free of cost for the first time in the history of India and for the first time in the history of the world.” Sri Murthy once again thanked all the esteemed dignitaries for having graced the occasion.
Sri Amit Shah was invited to present ‘Chiranjeevi Bhava‘ (Gift of Life) certificates to two mothers with their newborn babies, and to two children who were treated for their heart defects at Sri Sathya Sai Sarla Memorial Hospital.
Speaking at the event, Sri Amit Shah said, “The vision of selfless service that I have seen here, speaks volumes. The strength and the futuristic vision with which selfless service activities are being carried out here with no desire for name or fame, with only the welfare of the entire nation in mind, with total surrender, makes me fall short of words. Taking inspiration from Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s teachings, this institution at Sathya Sai Grama is carrying out a mahā yajña of sevā. Today, the ground-breaking ceremony of the 400-bedded hospital took place. Running a free hospital is not easy. It brings with it a lot of challenges. However, I see that the Sri Sathya Sai Sarla Memorial Hospital that is completely equipped with upgraded facilities and technology is offering all services free of cost! I am extremely happy to know that the institution is marching towards commencing a free medical college for students. This will be the first-of-its-kind in India. This effort will definitely find success.”
Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai then addressed the audience. “Indian culture teaches that everyone prays for the welfare of everyone else. ‘vasudaiva kutumbakam’, the concept of a global family, is an Indian idea. Today, the Honourable Union Minister of Home Affairs, Sri Amit Shah has graciously laid the foundation stone for the 400-bedded multi-speciality hospital. A few months back, the Honourable Chief Minister of Karnataka, Mr Basavaraj Bommai dedicated the Sri Sathya Sai Sarla Memorial Hospital to the service of the nation. As on date more than 19,000 patients have been treated completely free of cost at this hospital. In times to come, this will be become the most important centre for both healthcare and education. Very soon, a free medical college will come up here. In truth, we are not doing anything new. Providing free services to people to fulfil their basic needs was the original Indian way. In India food, education and health were never sold. Food was served to everyone in keeping with the principle ‘atithi devo bhava’ (a guest is to be treated as God); education was bestowed to students free of cost in gurukulas; and since we also believe ‘vaidyo nārāyano harih’ (doctors are God), doctors served out of compassion and without charging for their services. . We are only trying to revive our glorious Indian traditions. Our Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has said, “Sabka sāth, sabka vikās, sabka vishwās and sabka prayās.” (Everyone works together, puts in efforts with confidence, for the progress of all.) Ours is one such effort, so that we can walk hand-in-hand with the Government to make India a viśvaguru (world leader) and so that everyone in India receives their basic rights of nutrition, education and healthcare.”
The event drew to a close with the rendition of the Indian National Anthem by the Sai Symphony Orchestra comprising students of Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Gurukulam of Institutions.