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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated Sai Hira Global Convention Centre in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh via video conferencing and lauded services of Sathya Sai Trust.

The inauguration ceremony witnessed the presence of prominent dignitaries and devotees of Sathya Sai Baba from around the world. Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer was present at Prasanthi Nilayam in Puttaparthi.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister lauded the services of Sathya Sai Trust. He was all praise for the Trust for undertaking various programmes to serve humanity.

 The Prime Minister expressed happiness that Sathya Sai Baba’s mission is getting expanded with the opening of a new prime convention center. He hoped that the new center would create an experience of spirituality and splendor of modernity.

He said that the center comprises cultural diversity and a conceptual grandeur, and it will become a focal point for discussions on spirituality and academic programs where scholars and experts will gather.

He noted that the inauguration of the global convention centre coincides with the Leader's Conference of Sri Sathya Sai Global Council with the theme ‘Practice and Inspire’.

Calling the theme effective as well as relevant, Modi emphasised the importance of good conduct by the leaders of the society as society follows them. He said that the life of Shri Sathya Sai is the live example of this.

“Today India is also moving while prioritising its duties. Moving towards the century of Independence, we have named Amrit Kaal as ‘Kartavya Kaal’. These pledges include the guidance of our spiritual values as well as resolutions for the future. It has both Vikas (development) as well as Virasat (heritage).”

The Prime Minister underlined that India has now become one of the top 5 economies in the world which supports the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. He also mentioned that India is competing with the leading nations in the world in sectors like digital technology and 5G. 

The Prime Minister emphasised that 40 percent of real-time online transactions happening in the world are taking place in India and urged the devotees to transform the entire district of Puttaparthi towards a digital economy.

He suggested that if everyone comes together to accomplish this resolution, the entire district will be turned digital by the next birth anniversary of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

“The transformation witnessed in the country is a result of the contributions of every social class”, the Prime Minister remarked as he underlined that organisations like the Global Council are an effective medium to know more about India and connect with the world.

The Prime Minister said that even though Sri Sathya Sai Baba was born in Puttaparthi, his followers can be found worldwide and his institutions and ashrams can be accessed in every state of India.

He said that all the devotees have connected with Prasanthi Nilayam irrespective of language and culture and it is this desire that weaves India into a single thread making it immortal.

He recalled the opportunity he had to interact with him and live in the shelter of Sathya Sai’s blessings. He remembered the ease with which Sri Sathya Sai used to convey deep messages. He recalled timeless teachings like ‘Love All Serve All’; ‘Help Ever Hurt Never’; ‘Less Talk More Work’; ‘Every Experience is a Lesson -Every Loss is a Gain’.
“These teachings have sensitivity as well as a deep philosophy of life,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister remembered Sathya Sai Baba’s guidance and help during the earthquake in Gujarat. He recalled the deeply compassionate blessings of Sri Sathya Sai and said that for him, the service of humanity was the service of God.

The Prime Minister noted that in a country like India religious and spiritual institutions have always been at the center of social welfare.

He said that today when we are giving momentum to development and heritage with the resolutions of Amrit Kaal, Institutions like Sathya Sai Trust, have a major role to play in that.

He expressed delight that the spiritual wing of Sathya Sai Trust is creating cultural India within the new generation through programs like Bal Vikas.

Highlighting the efforts of Sathya Sai Trust in nation-building and in the empowerment of society, the Prime Minister mentioned the hi-tech hospital in Prasanthi Nilayam and schools and colleges being run for free education for years.

He also mentioned the organisations associated with Sathya Sai that are working with dedication. He also highlighted that Sathya Sai Central Trust has become a partner in the humanitarian work of providing free water to remote villages as the country is connecting every village with clean water supply under the ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’.