NAVBHARAT, MUMBAI (Hindi), 21 NOVEMBER 2006

PRESIDENT WILL INAUGURATE SATHYA SAI BABA SPORTS CENTRE TOMORROW

...ON THE OCCASION OF THE SILVER JUBILEE OF SRI SATHYA SAI INSTITUTE OF HIGHER LEARNING, THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, SRI A P J ABDUL KALAM WILL INAUGURATE THE SRI SATHYA SAI INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR SPORTS ON NOVEMBER 22. ESTABLISHED WITH THE MOST MODERN FACILITIES THIS SPORTS COMPLEX SITUATED IN THE VIDYAGIRI COMPLEX OF PUTTAPARTHI IN ANDHRA PRADESH, WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT THE ORGANISATION BUT WILL ALSO PROVE A GIFT TO THE SPORTSMEN OF THE WHOLE OF INDIA.

MATRUBHUMI, (Malayalam), 22 NOVEMBER, 2006

INDOOR SPORTS STADIUM AT PRASANTHI NILAYAM TO BE INAUGURATED BY THE PRESIDENT TODAY.

…THIS INDOOR STADIUM CAN SEAT 4000 PEOPLE AND ITS MAIN HALL MEASURES 58 X 98 METRES… ONE BASKETBALL COURT, FOUR BADMINTON COURTS, SIX TABLE-TENNIS COURTS, ONE VOLLEYBALL COURT, TWO SQUASH COURTS AND A GYMNASTICS STADIUM ARE INCLUDED IN THE STADIUM COMPLEX.

IN THE SECOND PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION, A 400 METRES ATHLETICS TRACK WITH 8 LANES, TWO TENNIS COURTS, AN AEROBICS HALL AND A YOGA CENTRE WILL BE BUILT….

THE BOMBAY SAMACHAR, MUMBAI (Gujarati), NOVEMBER 23, 2006.

FOR ALL ROUND PEACE “SRI SATHYA SAI EDUCARE”

...ONE DEVOTEE ASKED SWAMI,”SWAMI, I WANT PEACE.” SWAMI REPLIED,” REMOVE I (EGO) AND WANT, ONLY PEACE REMAINS.” INCREDIBLE IS THE SIMPLICITY WITH WHICH SWAMI EXPLAINS THE GREATEST OF FACTS. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HIS CHARACTERISTIC SIMPLE TRUTHS OF LIFE.

BABA’S WORLD PEACE PROGRAMME STARTED SIXTY YEAR’S AGO. THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT EXPRESSES HIS WORLD VIEW SO BEAUTIFULLY:

“WHEN THERE IS PEACE IN THE HEART, THERE IS BEAUTY IN CHARACTER. WHEN THERE IS BEAUTY IN THE CHARACTER, THERE IS UNITY IN THE FAMILY. WHEN THERE IS UNITY IN THE FAMILY, THERE IS ORDER IN THE NATION. WHEN THERE IS ORDER IN THE NATION, THERE GETS ESTABLISHED PEACE IN THE WORLD.”

DECCAN CHRONICLE, ANANTAPUR (English), NOVEMBER 24, 2006

President sits with devotees in Puttaparthi

SATHYA SAI BABA CALLED UPON THE POEPLE TO STRIVE FOR THE PROGRESS OF THE SOCIETY. "HUMAN BIRTH IS GREAT AMONG ALL THE BIRTHS AND ON EHAS TO UTILISE IT FOR THE WELFARE OF PEOPLE."...SPEAKING ON THE OCCASION, PRESIDENT A P J ABDUL KALAM SHOWERED PRAISES ON BABA. "THE SERVICES OF BABA TO PEOPLE ARE IMMENSE AND I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE PART OF HIS BORTHDAY CELEBRATIONS," HE SAID. THE PRESIDENT SURPRISED EVERYONE BY SITTING ON THE FLOOR WITH OTHER DEVOTEES...HE SAT BESIDE BABA ONLY WHEN HE OCCUPIED HIS SEAT. AN ADDED ATTRACTION WAS THE POEMS WRITTEN BY PRESIDENT KALAM ON SATHYA SAI BABA WHICH WERE READ OUT IN TELUGU.

DECCAN CHRONICLE, ANANTAPUR (English), NOVEMBER 23, 2006

PREZ FOR KNOWLEDGE PLATFORM

PRESIDENT APJ ABDUL KALAM ON WEDNESDAY ADVOCATED CREATION OF A 'WORLD KNOWLEDGE PLATFORM' TO INTEGRATE THE RESEARCH EFFORTS OF PARTNER COUNTRIES FOR MAKING THE WORLD A SAFE, SUSTAINABLE AND PEACEFUL PLACE....DELIVERING A SPEECH AT THE 25TH CONVOCATION ADDRESS AT THE SRI SATYA SAI INSTITUTE OF HIGHER LEARNING, DR. KALAM SAID THE 'WORLD KNOWLEDGE PLATFORM' COULD TAKE UP MISSIONS IN AREAS OF 'UTMOST URGENCY' LIKE ENERGY, EFFICIENT USE OF WATER RESOURCES, HEALTHCARE, HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND NETWORKING PRODUCTS, AUTOMOBILE AND TRADITIONAL MEDICINE. "THE KNOWLEDGE PLATFORM WILL BE A LAUNCH PAD FOR MANY INNOVATIONS THAT ARE WAITING TO BE UNEARTHED," HE SAID AND CALLED UPON THE DEVOTEES OF SAI BABA TO WORK THROUGH 'WORLD KNOWLEDGE PLATFORM'.

VARTAHAR, MUMBAI (Marathi), NOVEMBER 21, 2006.

SPIRITUALITY AND ITS SOCIAL RELEVANCE

ALONG WITH SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE, PROPAGATION OF PEACE AND DEVOTION, BHAGAWAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA IS SETTING UP AN INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR INDOOR SPORTS AT PUTTAPARTHY IN ANDHRA PRADESH. THIS IS SITUATED ON A 4-8 ACRE PLOT NEAR PRASHANTHI NILAYAM IN VIDYAGIRI CAMPUS. HIS EXCELLENCY, THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, DR. ABDUL KALAM WILL INAUGURATE THE INDOOR STADIUM... SEVERAL SPORTS LUMINARIES AND STAR ATHLETES WILL BE PRESENT ON THE OCCASION. THIS INTERNATIONAL CENTRE WILL ENCOURAGE SPORTSMEN AND ATHLETES TO HOLD INTERNATIONAL MATCHES AND PROGRAMMES OF EXCELLENCE. THE STADIUM HAS BEEN SET UP WITHOUT GOVERNMENT AID OR GRANTS.

DIVYA BHASKAR, MUMBAI (Gujarati) NOVEMBER 21, 2006.

SATHYA SAI SPORTS COMPLEX WILL BE INAUGRATED BY KALAM.

...KALAM WILL BE THE CHIEF GUEST AT THE 25TH CONVOCATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AND WILL ADDRESS THE GATHERING. THE SPORTS COMPLEX HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED IN A RECORD TIME OF 150 DAYS AND IT WILL BE AMONG THE BIGGEST STADIUMS IN THE COUNTRY. INDIA AND SRI LANKA VOLLYBALL MATCH AND ALSO INDIA AND INDONESIA BADMINTON AND BASKETBALL MATCHES WILL BE PLAYED. GREECE AND SWITZERLAND GYMNASTS WILL PRESENT A SHOW OF GYMANSTICS. MORE THAN 200 SPORTS PERSONALITIES FROM THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD WILL ATTEND. SRI SATHYA SAI BABA WILL GRACE THE INAUGRATION OF THIS SPORTS COMPLEX OPENING FUNCTION, WHICH COVERS 4.8 ACRES OF AREA. SRI SATHYA SAI UNIVARSITY IS FAMOUS THROUGH OUT THE WORLD FOR ITS VALUE BASED EDUCATION.

JANMABHOOMI (Gujarati) – NOVEMBER 21, 2006

THE PRESIDENT WILL INAUGURATE SRI SATHYA SAI INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CENTRE ON WEDNESSDAY IN PUTTAPARTHI.

SRI SATHYA SAI INSTITUTE OF HIGHER LEARNING (DEEMED UNIVERSITY), AS A PART OF IT SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATION, THE STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE THIS INTERNATIONAL SPORTS COMPLEX AS A PRESENT. ON THIS OCCASION OF THE SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATION FUNCTION THE PRESIDENT WILL ADDRESS THE GATHERING.

GUJARAT SAMACHAR, MUMBAI (Gujarati) NOVEMBER 24, 2006

SWAMI’S PICTURE WITH THE PRESIDENT

THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE PRESENT AGE BEING WISHED “LONG LIFE” BY THE PRESIDENT APJ ABDUL KALAM. THE PRESIDENT SET THE CELEBRATIONS ROLLING FOR SAI BABA’S BIRTHDAY WHICH IS BEING ATTENDED BY DEVOTEES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

DIVYA BHASKAR “DHARMA DARSHAN” (Gujarati), 20 NOVEMBER 2006.

CONFLAGURATION OF DHARMA AND SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS - SRI SATHYA SAI BABA.

...AFTER ESTABLISHING THE COLLEGES AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS... BABA WILLED THAT HE WOULD ESTABLISH SUPER SPECIALITIES HOSPITAL IN PUTTAPARTHI WHERE EVEN OPEN HEART SURGERIES WOULD BE CARRIED OUT FREE. HE DECLARED THAT WITH IN ONE YEAR THE HOSPITAL WOULD BE FUNCTIONAL, COL. JOGA RAO AND BRIG. BOSE SAID,” SWAMI, HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? EVEN IN USA, A HOSPITAL OF THIS TYPE WILL TAKE ALMOST 7 YEARS TO BUILD.” SWAMI REPLIED,” IT IS MY WILL AND IT WILL HAPPEN. YOU START WORKING.” NOT ONLY THE HOSPITAL WAS READY IN FIVE AND HALF MONTHS BUT ON THE INAUGURATION DAY FOUR OPEN HEART SURGERIES WERE ALSO PERFORMED. AFTER THAT SWAMI MADE ONE SUPER SPECIALITIES HOSPITAL IN BANGALORE AND ALSO ONE IN RAJKOT, WHERE THE HEART OPERATIONS ARE CARRIED OUT FREE OF CHARGE.

THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL, MUMBAI, (English), 21 NOVEMBER 2006.

PRESIDENT KALAM TO INAUGURATE STATE-OF-THE-ART
SPORTS COMPLEX

...THE SPRAWLING SPORTS COMPLEX, BEING INAUGURATED AS PART OF THE SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS OF THE SRI SATHYA SAI INSTITUTE OF HIGHER LEARNING IS PSREAD OVER 4.8 ACRES, MEETS OLYMPIC STANDARDS AND BOASTS OF ONE OF THE NATION'S LARGEST INDOOR SPORTS ARENAS, CONSTRUCTED IN A RECORD TIME OF JUST 150 DAYS.....THE SRI SATHYA SAI UNIVERSITY HAS SOME OF THE FINEST ACADEMIC AND SPORTS FACILITIES LIKE AN OUTDOOR STADIUM, GYMNASIUM, MUSIC COLLEGE AND A PLANETARIUM. THE SPORTS CENTRE ADDS ANOTHER DIMENSION TO THE EXISTING CRICKET GROUNDS.

MATRUBHUMI, (Malayalam), 23 NOVEMBER 2006.

BABA – THE MAGIC OF SERVICE

THE SPIRIT OF THE ALMIGHTY RESIDES IN EACH AND EVERY LIVING THING. THEN, SERVING OTHERS IS REALLY SERVICE TO GOD. THIS IS WHAT BHAGAWAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA MEANS BY SAYING MANAVA SEVA IS MADHAVA SEVA. AND THIS IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE MILLIONS OF SATHYA SAI DEVOTEES ALL OVER THE WORLD WHO DO SILENT SERVICE NOT ONLY IN SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES, BUT ALSO IN THE FIELDS OF EDUCARE, MEDICARE AND SOCIOCARE….

“NO-ONE NEEDS TO COME ALL THE WAY HERE TO DO SERVICE ACTIVITIES. SERVE PEOPLE IN YOUR OWN VILLAGES AND TOWNS”. TAKING THESE WORDS OF BHAGAWAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA TO HEART, A RETIRED GOVERNMENT SCHOOLTEACHER IN PAYYOLI, MS. CHANDRIKA, DISTRIBUTES RICE GRUEL TO PATIENTS AT THE NEIGHBOURING GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL….

DR. ANANDAMOHAN STANDS IN FRONT OF THE SAI FREE CLINIC UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN SHORANUR IN THE PICTURE. SAI WATER PIPELINES GO THROUGH NAXALITE REGIONS TO SERVE THE AGENCY AREAS IN THE GODAVARI DISTRICTS IN ANDHRA PRADESH. (THE BOTTOM TWO PICTURES IN THE NEWS CLIP).

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS, HYDERABAD (English), 22, 23, 24 NOVEMBER 2006.

PRESIDENT APJ ABDUL KALAM PENNED A POEM IN TAMIL ON SRI SATYA SAI BABA AND READ IT OUT TODAY IN THE PRESENCE OF THOUSANDS OF SAI DEVOTEES WHO GATHERED HERE ON THE OCCASION OF THE 81ST BIRTHDAY OF SAI BABA.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FIRST CITIZEN COMPLETED HIS POEM, A DELIGHTED SATYA SAI BABA SHOOK HANDS WITH HIM. KALAM'S POETRY WAS TRANSLATED BY ANIL KUMAR INTO TELUGU.

"I HAVE IMMENSE LOVE FOR SATYA SAI BABA. I PENNED A POEM IN MY MOTHER TONGUE TO GREET SAI BABA ON HIS BIRTHDAY," SAID KALAM. THE POEM WAS GREETED WITH LOUD APPLUASE FROM THE AUDIENCE. KALAM, WHO WAS THE CHIEF GUEST AT THE FUNCTION, STARTED HIS SPEECH BY GREETING THE DEVOTEES SAYING 'NAMASKARAM'. KALAM DEVIATED FROM THE PROTOCOL AND SQUATTED ON THE FLOOR ALONG WITH THE OTHER DEVOTEES....IN HIS BIRTHDAY MESSAGE, BABA CALLED UPON THE DEVOTEES TO RECOGNISE THAT SERVICE TO MAN IS SERVICE T GOD. HE ASKED THE DEVOTEES TO TRY TO KNOW THE 'ETERNAL TRUTH' AND NOT RUN AFTER MATERIAL THINGS...HE ALSO RECALLED THE BAD PROPAGANDA BY SOME PERSONS ABOUT HIS 'MIRACLES'...THEY MADE SUCH PROPAGANDA OUT OF ENVY, BABA SAID.

EENADU, ALL EDITIONS (Telugu), 21, NOVEMBER 2006.

...SRI SATHYA SAI SEVA ORGANIZATION WHICH HAD SUPPLIED DRINKING WATER TO HUNDREDS OF VILLAGES, NOW EXTENDS ITS HELPING HAND IN DEVELOPING SPORTS. WITH AN EXPENDITURE OF 40 CRORES; WITH OLYMPIC STANDARDS; WITH ALL THE LATEST FACILITIES AND TECHNIQUES, THE INDOOR SPORTS STADIUM WILL BE OPENED WITH THE NAME “SRI SATHYA SAI INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF SPORTS.” BHAGAVAN BABA WILL PRESENT THIS COMPLEX TO THE STUDENTS OF SATHYA SAI INSTITUTE OF HIGHER LEARNING IN THE EVENT OF THEIR SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATION OF THE UNIVERSITY. THIS COMPLEX WILL BE INAUGURATED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 22ND, BY DR. ABDUL KALAM, PRESIDENT OF INDIA, IN THE PRESENCE OF BHAGAVAN BABA.

THE HINDU, BANGALORE EDITION (English), 23 NOVEMBER 2006.

KALAM ADDRESS STUDENTS OF SATYA SAI INSTITUTE

...QUOTING SAI BABA, THE PRESIDENT SAID MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT SPIRITUALITY AND SOCIAL OBLIGATION HAD NO RELATIONSHIP. BUT IT WAS A MISTAKE. TRUE DIVINITY WAS A COMBINATION OF SPIRITUALITY AND SOCIAL OBLIGATION. IT WAS THE DIVINITY THAT WOULD LINK SPIRITUALITY AND SOCIAL EXISTENCE, DR. KALAM SAID. HE HAILED THE VALUE-BASED EDUCATION OFFERED BY SATYA SAI INSTITUTIONS THAT COMBINED SPIRITUALITY AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. THE PRESIDENT INTERACTED WITH A FEW STUDENTS MINUTES BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE CONVOCATION.

ANDHRA BHOOMI, ANANTAPUR (Telugu), 22 NOVEMBER 2006.

THE S.S.S I.H.L. DEEMED MINISTRY HAS EARNED A GOOD NAME IN THE WORLD SINCE 1981 ONWARDS AS ONE OF THE RARE OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDY IN THIS MINISTRY. VALUE-ORIENTED EDUCATION IS THE MAIN ATTRACTION HERE. FROM KINDERGARTEN UP, EDUCATION WILL BE AVAILABLE FREE OF COST HERE, INCLUDING HOSTEL FACILITIES. FROM BOTANY TO SPIRITUAL SCIENCE, EDUCATION IN ALL FIELDS IS AVAILABLE HERE. UNDER THE CHANCELLORSHIP OF BABA, THIS EDUCATION IS GROWING HERE. NOT ONLY EDUCATION, EDUCARE ALSO IS BEING THOUGHT.

IN SEVEN SUBJECTS, UNDER-GRADUATE COURSES AND IN FIVE SUBJECTS, POST-GRADUATE COURSES, THREE PROFESSIONAL COURSES WERE OFFERED HERE. IN THE FIRST TWO SEMESTERS IN UNDERGRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE COURSES, A SPECIAL PROGRAMME ON NATURAL RESOURCES WAS DESIGNED. EVERY STUDENT HERE MUST HAVE SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE.

THE TIMES OF INDIA, BANGALORE EDITION (English), 23 NOVEMBER 2006.

...BABA ADVISED ALL STUDENTS TO DEVELOP SELF-CONFIDENCE. "ALL OF YOU ARE SPARKS OF DIVINITY. THEREFORE, YOU SHOULD IMBIBE DIVINE QUALITIES," HE SAID. DELIVERING THE CONVOCATION ADDRESS, KALAM SAID, "APART FROM THIS CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT AND THE GREAT TEACHERS YOU HAVE IN YOUR SCHOOL, THERE IS A LOT MORE YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT LIFE FROM ALL THE PAIN AND SUFFERINGS THAT YOU WITNESS AROUND YOU. NOT ONLY ARE THESE AN INTEGRAL PART OF YOUR LEARNING PROCESS BUT IT IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF YOU TO FULFILL YOUR SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS. ONLY THAT WOULD MEAN YOU HAVE IMBIBED THE COMBINATION OF SPIRITUALITY AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AS PROPOUNDED BY SATHYA SAI BABA."