February 2024

Sai Ram dear devotees,

I pray that you and your families are all keeping safe and well.

It was a pleasure seeing so many of you at our first National event for 2024, the National Office Bearers and Active Workers Conference, which took place on 3rd February in Stratford.

We were truly honoured to have with us our Zonal Chair, Brother Philipp von Dietlein, together with our Zonal Coordinators Brothers Ketan Gokani and Shitu Chudasama.

I take this opportunity to welcome all new Office Bearers, Nationally, Regionally and in our Centres and Groups, with a reminder that our role is not just a position, but a sacred duty, a divine opportunity to be instruments of Bhagawan in fulfilling His mission.

I wholeheartedly thank all those office bearers across the country who have completed their terms for their commitment and selfless service to the Organisation.

As we are approaching closer to Swami’s Centenary year, the theme for the next two years was announced as “100 Years of Pure Love” with an accompanying logo.

Along with the above announcement, there were several other exciting events announced at the Conference. The forthcoming National Easwaramma Day on 4th May at the Grange Academy in Bushey; the Global Young Adult Conference in Prasanthi Nilayam on 12th to 14th July, with an opportunity for Young Adults to participate in Grama Seva; and a medical camp from 15th to 20th July, so devotees can join the Guru Poornima programme in Prasanthi. A UK retreat is also being planned for late August for which details will be finalised soon, so please watch this space!

This year, instead having specific wing meetings, the Conference had an interactive session on specific key topics pertinent to the Organisation. We were pleased to note that this session was well received, with great participation from all.

As I conclude, I would like to convey our heartfelt wishes to His Majesty the King for his speedy recovery. On behalf of the Organisation, we send our prayers and positive energy so he can find strength and comfort during this time.

We pray that Swami continues to shower His love and grace upon everyone and keep us at His Divine Lotus Feet.

Lovingly, in Sai service,

Pratap Thakkar

The National Office Bearers and Active Workers Conference 2024 brought together devotees across the UK, in what was an uplifting event filled with a blend of energetic bhajans, enlightening talks and interactive sessions. 

The conference commenced with a beautiful set of bhajans, followed by our dearest Swami with His divine discourse. Swami’s message underscored the notion that merely chanting God’s name without engaging in selfless service is futile. ‘What mistake is there in serving God or society?’ Swami preaches. ‘Without serving anybody, if you go on repeating God’s name, it is all useless.’ Therein lies the message that reverberated throughout the conference: service. What better way to serve than through the roles with which Swami has entrusted us, as His divine instruments, in His name and with His divine mission of love? Brother Pratap Thakkar, our National President, gave the welcome address with words that carried guidance. ‘In the face of challenges, the seed of opportunity lies in adversity,’ and can be seen as the source of our own spiritual ‘growth and transformation.’ Being an office bearer, as with any role, is not without its challenges, but approaching it with love will unify and ‘propel the collective mission forward.’

A talk by our Zonal Chair Brother Philipp von Dietlein highlighted the first duty as an office bearer: personal discipline. ‘Authenticity is the currency of the modern age,’ and Brother Philipp encouraged attendees to lead by example, an approach that not only fosters trust and credibility, but aligns with Swami’s teachings to embody His principles.

Following the talks and a video recap of 2023 highlights, the conference proceeded with each wing providing a comprehensive recap of their activities throughout the past year. The segment allowed for the progress to be showcased whilst sharing in their accomplishments and reflecting on the impact of their dedicated efforts. One such reflection was that of the Service Wing, in their humanitarian response of sending 27,373 items in aid to those devastated by the earthquakes in Syria. Moreover, the wings also spoke on their future plans, such as training development in the Bal Vikas wing and A Moment with Sai led by the Young Adults Wing, in combination with the Media Wing, to list just a few.

The inclusion of interactive sessions in the conference provided a valuable opportunity for attendees to engage in introspection and allow meaningful discussions within the group. The questions for discussions covered the importance of office bearers, sharing resources within and between centres, and not having affiliations with other spiritual/religious organisations. 

There is great privilege in being the servant of Bhagawan. We are not just the children of Sai but His divine legacies. To that end, we must embrace the responsibility of not only holding but also perpetuating His transcendent teachings. This purpose extends beyond our own spiritual growth and consequently lays down the foundations for the benefit of present and future generations.

To mark the Centenary of our beloved Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we have committed to conduct 1,008 house (community) bhajans over the two-year period starting 23rd November 2023. Each Centre and Group should encourage devotees to participate and take the message of our dear Bhagawan out into the community.

Guidelines for you to follow when conducting house (community) bhajans are available on the Centenary page on our National website via the link below.

All Centre/Group Presidents and Spiritual Coordinators are required to retain a log of the date when the house (community) bhajans were held, the name of the town and the Centre/Group name that provided support, as well a photo or two of the altar etc., so that we can keep track of our goal. Please note, regular Centre/Group bhajans are not included in the tally towards 1,008 bhajans. This log will finally be placed at the Divine Lotus feet of our dear Bhagawan at the Centenary Birthday celebrations.

Please do not hesitate to contact the National or your local Regional Spiritual Coordinator for any further guidance.

Following the launch of our updated child safeguarding policy and guidelines, we kindly request all Presidents and Bal Vikas Coordinators to attend a one-off, mandatory briefing, to help them understand their role and responsibilities as safeguarding leads in our Organisation. Please register via the link below to receive the online meeting details.

Please contact your local Regional President or Bal Vikas Coordinator if you have any questions.  

Centenary Bal Vikas Wing Activities

Three activities have been selected as offerings to be made by our children, gurus and parents for next year’s Centenary event:

• Chanting of 21 Gayatri Mantras before the start of each class (with the tally of the number of those chanting to be recorded by each centre/region)
• At least 15 minutes of daily outdoor activity (to be recorded in spiritual diaries)
• Practise ceiling on desires and donate any monetary savings to a charity helping children in the United Kingdom (with the tally of amounts donated thus to be recorded by each centre/region); details of the chosen charity shall be provided in due course

These activities are to be carried out from now, until Bhagawan’s 100th Birthday next year.

National Poster & Poem Competition

We are also pleased to announce the launch of this year’s National Poster & Poem Competition. This is open to all Bal Vikas children.

• Posters: your poster should be based on the theme, “100 Years of Pure Love.” It must be A4-sized and must not use any words. Paints and crayons are allowed.
• Poems: your poem should be based on the same theme. It must be in English and presented on A4-sized paper.

The winning poster will be used for the flyer to announce this year’s National Easwaramma Day programme. The winning poem will be displayed on the SSSO UK website and social media platforms.

Each entry must be supplied with the child’s full name, age, Centre and Region. All entries must be submitted to the Centre Bal Vikas (SSE) Coordinator by Sunday 10th March.

If you have any questions about anything covered in this letter, please contact your Centre or Regional Bal Vikas Coordinator in the first instance.

We pray to our beloved Bhagawan to inspire and bless us all in our humble endeavour to express our gratitude to Him.

On Saturday 10th February, a Tiny Forest will be planted in Bedfordshire, with the help of over 90 volunteers from our Organisation.

Bedford Borough Council announced this planting in an article published this week on its website (read the full article via the link below - note, this is an external website). Key quotes are as follows:

'Tristain Addo, Arboricultural Officer at Bedford Borough Council, said, "We are thrilled to be planting our second Miyawaki forest with the support of the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation. This innovative technique offers a sustainable solution for creating biodiverse havens in Bedford Borough, contributing to improved air quality, carbon capture, and overall environmental well-being."'

'Pratap Thakkar, UK President, Sri Sathya Sai Organisation UK, said, “We are really grateful to Bedford Borough Council for this opportunity to participate in this great initiative. We hope that the planting of this Tiny Forest will not only benefit the local environment and future generations but also contribute to preserving the world in which we all live. We look forward to working with the Council on future projects and also maintaining this Tiny Forest.”'

Over 2,300 items, such as clothing, shaving items, shampoo, sleeping bags, chocolates and shoes, were collected for charity during the National Christmas celebrations in December. These items were handed over at the end of January to The Passage, a charity in London. They have written a wonderful letter in thanks for the contribution.

To kick start the year, we are requesting everyone aged 18-35 to scan this QR code (or click on the link below) and fill in the two-minute form to be added to the National YA log. This is for the Young Adult Coordinators in your Region and Centres/Groups to know who is active and where resources can be shared. If you require help or have any questions, please reach out via the email link further below.

With the Divine Grace and Blessings of our Beloved Lord, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we are delighted to launch the website and commence registrations for the Sri Sathya Sai Global Young Adults Conference 2024 (GYAC 2024). 

The GYAC 2024 will be held at the Divine Abode, Prasanthi Nilayam, from 12th to 14th July, with the theme 'Reconnect, Recharge, Rejoice in SAI Love,' providing an opportunity for every Young Adult globally to come together.

Information on how Young Adults can get involved will be shared by the GYAC 2024 coordinators shortly.

The GYAC 2024 website contains information about the programme, the registration link and other relevant details.

Additionally, UK Young Adults have the opportunity to perform Grama Seva and participate in a medical camp between 15th and 20th July, leading up to Guru Poornima on the 21st.

Express your gratitude to our Beloved Lord, our Dear Swami, on His centenary birthday celebration!

Sai Anveshana is a 9-month event/race for His grace! By this September, we will embark on a quest through an engaging quiz competition, based on the sacred Vahini series penned by our beloved Sri Sathya Sai Baba, with Young Adults across the country participating as teams.

This registration call is for Young Adults interested in dedicating their time, energy, and love for Swami by committing to the preparation and execution of Sai Anveshana from April 2024 to July 2025.

Join us as an organising team mentor to embark on a path of courage, leadership, and spiritual growth. As mentors, you won't just lead: you'll inspire, guide, and soar alongside other passionate Young Adults.

Roles for mentors needed:

• Event Oversight
• Outreach Team
• Tech Support
• Participant Engagement Team
• Quiz Creators

Express your interest now!

Register via either the link below or the QR code above to be a part of the organising team by 24th February.