The Sri Sathya Sai Education revolution sweeping across Karnataka

The Divine 'Method' of project initiation

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has been the initiator of social service projects of unprecedented magnitude - super specialty hospitals, water supply projects offering drinking water to millions of poor, home-rebuilding projects for those affected by natural disasters, village-rebuilding projects to convert every village into a self-sustaining and ideal one and, most importantly, education projects to impart to the students the true meaning of education. How these different projects came about are awesome stories in themselves and you can read about some of them in an article entitled, 'When Swami read the newspapers...'.

There is definitely a difference between the way the world usually plans a project and the way the Divine plans the project. When the world plans a project, there is a lot of intelligence gathering work that goes on to assess project feasibility. Then, check is done to determine resources - human, material and financial - necessary for the project. A timeline is drawn and reports are generated on the future need of resources for running and maintaining the project. Then, when everything is in place, the project is announced. With the Divine, the project is simply announced - as a matter of fact, as if the project is already done! Everything else, falls in place in the due time and the project indeed gets done!

The secret behind the 'Divine style'

"And this happens because the Divine Will is so powerful", would be anybody's conclusion. But Swami begs to differ as He says,
"If anything is taken up with purity in the heart, resources and everything else that is necessary will automatically pour. Purity of intent and purpose are all that are needed. It is not about me being God. The only difference between you and me is that whereas I know that am God, you are still ignorant."
(Of course, this is not a readymade statement from a single discourse. This the the spirit of what Swami has said through hundreds of discourses!)

The Education Revolution that I want speak about is so much in line with this 'Divine Style'.

The birth of the Education Revolution in Karnataka

Exactly at the time when Swami decided to leave the physical and everyone was lost in 'mourning', I heard about something that amazed me because it was so much like the 'Swami style'. I came to know that 'warden sir' from my undergraduate days, Sri B.N.Narasimhamoorthy, had made bold to venture on a very difficult path. He had announced that there would be a Sathya Sai School in every district of the state of Karnataka. That meant a minimum of 30 schools! Not only did he say that, he also stated the schedule in which these schools would come up and each school was spaced in the timeline by just 6-9 months!

Where did he have the resources? What planning has he done? How can a man of his stature and nature (he is well known in all Sai circles as a person of immaculate planning and a great lover of Swami) make such a 'promise' without a second thought or any prior planning. There were only 2 ways to explain this:
1. The man had gone crazy in his sorrow after Swami's departure and did not know what he was saying.
2. Swami had so 'possessed' him that his words were actually a reflection of Swami's words.

Today, when I look back at the happenings, I am forced to conclude that it is the latter case.

The vital role of Education

It is not surprising that Swami has inspired and personally blessed a person to make this 'ad'venture in the field of education.
"Saraswati mandirs have become Lakshmi mandirs today!", He lamented in His inspiring treatise on education Vidya Vahini. Commercialisation of education is one of the major disasters in modern times which has altered the goal of educational institutions from 'man-making' to 'money-making'. In a society where education is sold for money, men and women will sell themselves for money leading to bankruptcy of morality and ethics in personal and public life. And all the problems of the world begin from there. Bad Education is the root cause for all problems in society and Swam strikes at the very roots. That is the inspiration and motive of all His schools and educational institutions.

The 19th of November 2012 saw the grand opening of one more such school. I quote from the editorial by Sri.B.N.Narasimhamoorthy in the Amruta Vahini quarterly.

"....By the divine will and grace of Bhagawan Baba, the first school in Gulbarga district has already started functioning on the outskirts of Navanihalli village near Kamalapur town. The 45-acre educational campus, which has been christened, Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Niketanam is situated in an exquisitely picturesque setting on a hillock sloping towards the east and the north. A high school was started here with the academic year starting in June 2012. The school operated in English medium and Kannada medium in the 8th grade and 123 students have been getting the benefit of the Sri Sathya Sai System of Education. Of these, 110 students reside on campus while 13 are day scholars coming from local villages. All of them are being imparted with high-quality, character-building education, absolutely free of cost.

The ground-breaking ceremony or the Bhoomi Pooja for the campus was performed on the 21st of November 2011, the Karthika Somavaram on which Swami was born according to the lunar calendar. By His almighty will, the inauguration of the divinely-crafted, majestic building took place exactly on the 19th of November 2012 which also happened to be a Karthika Somavaram. It is one of His glorious miracles which demonstrates to the world that He is ever active in carrying out His Divine Mission of Dharmasthapana (establishment of righteousness in the world). It is a greater miracle for those who were associated with it since inception and they are convinced that they are just instruments in Swami's hands. While some offered their time and energy, some others offered their wealth at the altar of the Divine Educational Mission. We should salute them all."

The site chosen for the Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Niketanam

The foundation is laid. But the actual foundation was based on faith and love for God.

The construction progresses rapidly.

The typical 'Swami architecture' is added via the dome.

The vision of the completed building which was used as the guiding force for the engineers...

The completed building perfectly in sync with the vision. The grass might be missing in the picture but the education revolution at the grassroots level is flourishing! The statue of "Goddess Saraswati" in front seems to announce the holy intentions!

More evidence of the 'Divine Style'

Like the mighty Ganges river that begins as a mountain stream, the beginnings of all things grand and eternal are usually small. When Swami started His university, the students adjusted and lived in makeshift accommodation. The comforts were almost nil but their souls rejoiced for they knew that what they were getting was a Divine luxury that no treasures of the world could ever impart. It was amazing to see that the children and the teachers/staff of the Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Niketanam too displayed the same energy, enthusiasm, tenacity and, most importantly, love for Swami that the students of His university had shown in the beginning stages of the Institute of Higher Learning.

They were ready to study and work from makeshift classrooms and offices. Rather than describe all that they did, a few pictures would save me a few thousand words!

The Bhoomi Pooja for the building was done on the 21st of November 2011

The first school office was a hut!

So many students turned up for the entrance examinations!

Elaborate but very friendly interviews were conducted after the entrance exams.

The students too were happy at the spirit of the teachers and administrators. They began their Academic Year 2012-2013 in makeshift classrooms .

A prayer session with Bhajans and Veda chanting in progress.

Celebrations during the Ganesha Chaturthi Festival.

The school children participate whole heartedly in the Narayan Seva (food service) done to the construction workers.

Swami keeps up His Promise

The stories of how help has come from unexpected quarters in unexpected ways are a subject of hundreds of special articles. Even Sri.B.N.Narasimhamoorthy was bowled over the way Swami seemed to have planned everything. At the right time, things automatically fell in place like clockwork. Not only did Swami come in his dreams and visions, He also appeared in several other people's dreams and visions giving them instructions on what had to be done. And thus the work has been going in a Divine Family Fashion - where everyone lives for the other and all live for God with firm faith in the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God. Swami has kept up His assurance - anything taken up with purity of intent and purpose will face no shortage!

And this can be seen in the concluding statements the 'warden sir' makes in his editorial. His faith is resolute and confidence is brimming for it is being backed by Swami. (How else?)

"The next project will be brought up by Him in the Mandya District at Maradevanahalli village and a high school will be started there in June 2013. The third project will come up in the sylvan settings of the Chikmagalore district at Jayapura village near the celebrated pilgrimage centre, Sringeri. Already a residential school for boys is being run in this village by a team of highly motivated teachers with an equally motivated management. The new campus will be a residential school for girls which will also be started in June 2013. The campus in Mandya district is named Sri Sathya Sai Sharada Niketanam and in Chikmagalore district, it is Sri Sathya Sai Sri Niketanam.

Bagalkot district has been chosen by Him for founding the fourth school project which is expected to start functioning in June 2014. It will be at the village Chikkur near Mudhol. Fifty acres of land have been offered, free of cost, at His lotus feet by the villagers there. Who can say that Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is not amidst us today? Blessed are the pure in the heart for they shall see their Lord...."

Swami blesses the Alumni of the Alike and Muddenahalli schools who have come forward to form the Sathya Sai Saraswati Trust.

Swami blesses a key member of the the Sathya Sai Saraswati Trust which was formed on the 7th of October, 2011.

The inspiration was so noble: Out of 3000 children who apply to the Alma Mater, only 500 are selected. The rest are rejected and get dejected. We shall have enough schools to take in all those who seek Swami's system of education.

These alumni have been nourished and tended to lovingly by their Lord since they were kids.

Many of the 'saplings' in this photograph have today grown into 'trees' bearing fruits and granting shade that thrills the heart of the Divine 'gardener'.

A concluding note

Every person who marches along the path of righteousness and love will have critics lashing out. Even our dear Baba was not spared from that! Whatever may be the criticism, in my heart, I am convinced that there is definitely Divine Inspiration in the formation of the Sri Sathya Sai Saraswati Trust and the promised growth of schools all across Karnataka. As my senior brother, Nitin Acharya put it,
"Now I understood one more meaning of what Swami said, "I was one .. I became many" - Sai mission spreads through many wings. This is one among many such"

Nothing can stop Swami's glory for it is Divine glory. Nothing can impede His mission - it will proceed with us or in spite of us. His ways of working are phenomenally all-encompassing and unique. Why else would a 65 year old person who has achieved all the respect, love, contentment and satisfaction in life embark on a seemingly arduous and difficult task of multiple Sai Schools on an annual basis? Why would he make the following statement?

" I am singularly blessed to be associated with His mission and I will dedicate the rest of my life for His educational projects which He has been taking up after He shed His mortal coil too. I will work for them till my last breath and that will be the basis, destination and fulfillment for my life which He so lovingly nurtured from my teenage days!"

The answer is simple. It is Swami, Swami and Swami all the way.

Contact details for the Sri Sathya Sai Saraswati Trust

Address:
Sri Sathya Sai Saraswathi Education TrustA-24, Sai Dham,

Sathya Sai Grama,Muddenahalli, Chickballapur District,
Karnataka, India.Pin : 562101
Website: http://sssset.org/
Phone number: 09481209966 and 09343850866
email : ssssetrust@gmail.com