Dr. G Raghavender Raju, Director, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus
Offering our collective pranams at the divine lotus feet of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Founder Chancellor of this esteemed University – Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, I begin by offering a a loving Sai Ram to all of you.
Firstly, I thank the Vidyullekha team for giving me this wonderful opportunity to write a short note of my thoughts and feelings as a message to the alumni.
I join all of you in prayer to Bhagawan that this pandemic gets over at the earliest. As the Director of the campus, there is a selfish component to this prayer too. The last year we had an academic session which went on well by Bhagawan’s grace. It was a new experience for all of us; be it admissions or conducting examinations or online classes. It’s all a new experience and by His grace went on very well. However, I tell with conviction that there is no substitute to being in Prasanthi Nilayam physically for nurturing a Sai Student, for our goal is not just education. In fact, the acronym we use is HIM – Hostel (H) Institute (I) Mandir (M). It is important that every Sai Student goes through this process of staying in or getting exposed to the curriculum of the Sri Sathya Sai integral system of education. It is important we have the life of a Sai Student by staying in Hostel where each one lives for the other and all live for GOD. In the Institute, we get the academic knowledge and at Mandir, we get the spiritual knowledge. So, when we talk about a Sai Student about the integral system of education, apart from academics we have the other phases/aspects of a Sai Student which includes the spiritual activities, sports activities, music and so on. I am afraid if this whole year were to stay virtual, a student may go through the post graduate programme without experiencing the integral system. I’m sure the next semester is going to continue to be online but at least the winter semester 2021-22, I pray that the students are with us because they have to go through this integral system of education.
Bhagawan always says that His Students are His Property and not the hospitals or institutions! That’s a very profound statement we have heard often. Once on a Sivarathri day, when apprehensions were raised by a few senior members in continuing His mission in running these institutions including hospitals, educational Institutions in future, Swami told with conviction that ‘When I see my Students taking various roles, I’ve a strong conviction that this mission will be continued in future.’ That’s a great responsibility each Sai student holds, and it is important for each of us to strive and meet His expectations.
Swami has always stated that His life is His message. Having received great blessings from Swami, it is important that our lives be lived such that it becomes His message – our actions should identify who we are. The real testing for any Sai Student is when he steps out of the portals of the institution – similar to Automobile tyres. Even though a tyre goes through a lot of testing at the manufacturing plant, it is only when the automobile is driven and goes through various terrains across various weather conditions, can one see the quality of tyres. Similarly, the real testing for any Sai student is only when he steps out of the portals of the institution and lives up to His expectation of being Socially responsible, Spiritually aware and Professionally sound as an outcome of the training at the institute. Swami the indweller of each one of us is always there to guide us during any of the ethical dilemmas we face.
It is very heartening to notice the Seva undertaken by the alumni especially in the recent Covid times in facilitating transport of people, providing shelter and food, creating YouTube content – learning material for school children and subsequently starting helplines across various cities in India to help in providing reliable information regarding bed availability, critical medicine centres and telemedicine. I take this opportunity to congratulate the alumni in taking up such a wonderful initiative during one of the most challenging times! It is relatable to a situation of how one responds when one part of his body is causing pain.
I once again take this opportunity to thank the Vidyullekha team for this opportunity and pray to Bhagawan that we come out of this Pandemic at the earliest.
Dr. G Raghavender Raju, is currently the Director of Prasanthi Nilayam Campus and also heads the Department of Economics, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam.
Sir has joined Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School for his Eleventh Standard in June 1995. He went on to do his Bachelors and Masters in Economics, Post Graduate Diploma in Indian Culture and Spirituality and later Doctorate in Economics from SSSIHL itself. Swami has blessed Raghavender Raju to join as Faculty in 2003 in the Department of Economics. He has been awarded “Sai Krishna Award” for Excellence in Teaching in Sri Sathya Sai Values-Based Integral Education for the academic year 2019-2020 by Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning.
