Radio Sai

Recently, the Jammu & Kashmir Armed Police invited the Disaster Management Task Force of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations (India) to conduct a two day Emergency Response and Disaster Management Training Workshop at Armed Police headquarters in Zewan, Srinagar, Kashmir.

Held on 4 and 5 April, 2015, this unique partnership saw the Sai Task Force of volunteers train 51 members of the Jammu & Kashmir Police in rescue and recovery operations during such natural catastrophes as hurricanes, floods, earthquake, landslides etc.

Danger Lurking Behind Beauty

The mesmerising beauty of Kashmir belies the spectre of natural disaster that looms large over this land due to its complex geology and high seismic exposure. September 2014 saw landslides and flash floods claim thousands of lives and cause massive destruction.

During the September 2014 floods, the spontaneous, yet efficient disaster management abilities of the Sai Task Force from Punjab had rescued and rehabilitated thousands of families. Their selfless love, coupled with superior dedication, discipline and professionalism did not go unnoticed by the authorities. Six months later, the top brass of the J&K Armed Police invited the Sai Disaster Management Task Force back to the valley to train its officers.

Test is my Taste - Baba

A week prior to the proposed Emergency Response and Disaster Management Training Workshop, water levels were rising in the valley and river Jhelum was in spate on 30 March, 2015. As Kashmir braced for another flood, the workshop seemed destined to be called off. Unseasonal rains continued to lash Srinagar on April 1 and 2 and program was to begin in two days.

When Mr. S. Thyagarajan, the National Coordinator of the Disaster Management Task Force of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations (India) called his team of trainers in Chennai, asking them to hold off their departure, he found he was a bit late. The team had already checked in at Chennai Airport and nothing could dampen their spirit as they were convinced that in the past four years, no Sai programme or event had ever been cancelled and this programme too was bound to happen.

Echoing their optimism was the dedicated Vice-President of the Punjab chapter of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Mr. Maninder Singh who declared "If there are floods, we will join them in disaster management. If there are no floods we will do the training". No matter what, the team was open to being Sai instruments in the valley. The indefatigable spirit and unwavering faith of the Sai volunteers won the day and the waters receded in time for the workshop to commence as scheduled on 4 April!

Training Workshop

Given its importance, the inaugural session was attended by Mr. S.M. Sahai, the Additional Director General of Police of J & K and other senior officials of the state police force.
Over the two days of the workshop, the main components of the training included:
1) A brief Introduction
2) Presentations on the scientific basis of various disasters like the cyclone, earthquake, floods, landslides        and Tsunami
3) A demonstration on an earthquake situation
4) List of actions to be taken.

This is followed by a series of practical exercises like:
a) Rescue Knots
b) Rescue methods like high rise building rescue
c) Fire rescue methods
d) Water rescue methods and
e) Emergency methods of rescue

“We know Baba!”

The river rescue training was held over the Jhelum whose waters were still turbid after the flooding!

When the trainers were selecting an appropriate place along the river bank to conduct the training, some of the curious locals enquired about them. When the trainers mentioned the name of the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation, they folded their hands in reverence and said, “Yes, we know of Baba!”

He Taught Us To Love All & Serve All

The Sri Sathya Sai Disaster Management Task Force was set up at Bhagawan Baba's direction in 2002 when He willed that the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations begin the training of youth in Disaster Management. The capabilities of the task force first came to the fore in the wake of the tsunami that struck the coast of Tamil Nadu in December 2004. Since then more than 50,000 youth have been trained in the state of Tamil Nadu itself and they include participants from Tamil Nadu Police Force, Tamil Nadu Fire Services Department, and even employees from corporates such as Larsen and Toubro (L&T), Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) etc.

In recent years, this team saved precious lives during the devastation wrought by cyclone Hudhud in Odisha and coastal Andhra Pradesh.

The concluding session of the workshop re-stressed upon the universal human values that are the foundation of the Sai movement's dedication to selfless, barriers-free and all-inclusive service activities. This was followed by feedback from participants.

At the end of the training the J&K Police Armed Police Force came away not only with enhanced capabilities in disaster management but also an awareness of the role of values and prayer in one’s life. Mr. Muzzafur Jan, Deputy Superintendent of Police summed it up best at the valedictory session when he said, “Jab Khudhaa ko bhool jaathein hain shailaab aathaa hai. Jab Usko yaadh rakthein hain, wo tumko bachaathaa hai.”
(When we forget God, we get floods; when we remember Him, He protects us)!

Watch the Video of a trainee expressing his Gratitude

“Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast” – Amir Khusrau Dehlawi

The Mughal Persian poet Amir Khusrau immortalised the beauty of Kashmir with his words, “If there is paradise on Earth, it is here, it is here, it is here”,

The Sai Task Force offered the balm of Sai love to heal some of the scars that this paradise has experienced due to hatred and violence in recent decades. All prejudices of the past must be discarded to serve those in need with unconditional love, courage and sincerity, seeing God in everyone, as Sai taught us.

List of Trainers who participated:

1. Mr. S.Thyagarajan, National Coordinator for Disaster Management, Sri Sathya Sai Seva                               Organisations (India).
2. Mr. R.K. Sekaran, Secretary, St. John Ambulance, Joint State Coordinator, Disaster Management (DM)       Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation (SSSSO), Tamil Nadu. Recipient of President of India Award for four       years.
3. Mr. Amit Dubey, State Coordinator for DM, SSSSO, Madhya Pradesh.
4. Mr. Pardeep Bharadwaj, State Coordinator for DM, SSSSO, Punjab.
5. Mr. M. Rupesh Kumar, First Aid Faculty Member, St. John Ambulance and Faculty Member of DM             Training, SSSSO, Tamil Nadu.
6. Mr. Loganathan, Faculty Member of DM Training, SSSSO, Tamil Nadu.