February 2025

Sai Ram dear devotees

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

I offer my heartfelt gratitude to each one of you who attended the historic National Office Bearers and Active Workers Conference 2025, marking a significant milestone as the first such conference since our Organisation attained Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) status. This was not just a conference; it was a moment of deep reflection, unity, and devotion to the divine purpose that our beloved Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has entrusted to us.

As we stand at this important juncture, we are reminded of His teachings, His vision, and the invaluable role each one of you play in spreading love, peace, and selfless service across our country. The conference provided us with an opportunity to come together in our shared commitment to carry forth the mission as set by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and we were blessed to witness such an enthusiastic and dedicated gathering of over 300 individuals who embody His message in their lives.

CIO status brings with it both opportunities and responsibilities. As an organisation, it strengthens our commitment to transparency, accountability, and service to humanity. It aligns us with the ever-growing needs of society, allowing us to extend our reach and serve more souls in His name. Together, as one family, we will continue to embrace His teachings, ensuring that His message of love and service reaches far and wide.

It was with great pleasure to have introduced the Trustees of our CIO that have been appointed and whose dedication, wisdom, and love for Swami’s mission will guide the Organisation through this exciting new phase. Their collective experience and vision will help us continue to build a future where the teachings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba can reach and uplift more hearts than ever before.

Also at the conference, it was with great honour that we introduced Brother Shitu Chudasama as our new Zone 6 Chair, covering UK and Europe. We have pledged our full support to him in his new role.

As we have entered Swami’s Centenary year, we have an eventful calendar ahead of us, so please keep a look out for various announcements. Already, there is a medical camp planned for Nepal, where a team of 49 medical and healthcare professionals with 16 volunteers will be providing medical care to over 4,000 patients. There are other various other service activities planned whilst there, which you will be able to participate in as you read further below in this edition.

We also have a Centenary pilgrimage planned for the last week in July and will be joined by our brothers and sisters from across Europe. If you have not registered as yet, please do so as we are approaching the registration deadline soon.

I deeply appreciate your dedication and support in this new phase of our Organisation, as your insights, energy, and contributions continue to play a pivotal role in helping shape the path forward. As we move ahead with greater resolve and unity, let us continue to walk in the light of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's teachings, remaining steadfast in our commitment to selfless service, compassion, and love.

Lovingly, in Sai service

Pratap Thakkar

It gives us immense pleasure to introduce the Trustees who will be serving the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation United Kingdom CIO, effective immediately:

• National Council President: Mr Pratap Thakkar
• National Council Vice President: Dr Sakthi Shanmugathasan
• National Spiritual Coordinator: Mr Satish Kumar Thirupadripuliyur Mohan
• National Service Coordinator: Mr Jayesh Patel
• Joint-National Bal Vikas Coordinator: Mrs Vasuki Easwarakumar
• Joint-National Bal Vikas Coordinator: Mr Roni Ramdin
• National Young Adult Coordinator: Mr Saiwarren Pathmanathan
• Region 1 President: Dr Jitesh Patel
• Region 2 President: Mr Neel Mehta
• Region 3 President: Dr Arul Srinivasan
• Region 4 President: Mrs Manisha Patel
• Region 5 President: Dr Ketan Parmar
• Region 6 President: Ms Sushma Kumari Gurung
• Region 7 President: Dr Senthiru Sivaloganathan
• Region 8 President: Dr Sreebala Sripada

We are grateful to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for giving us the opportunity to serve.

We also thank all the outgoing Trustees for their outstanding and selfless service.

We pray to Swami to bless us all so that we can serve with love and unity.

The National Council of the United Kingdom is delighted to announce the upcoming UK and European (Zone 6) Centenary Pilgrimage 2025 to our spiritual home, Prasanthi Nilayam!

We invite all devotees across the UK to join this sacred pilgrimage, ‘100 Years of Pure Love.'

• Dates: 28th July - 3rd August (arrive latest 26th July, orientation meeting taking place Sunday 27th July.
• Registration deadlines:
  • Bal Vikas (SSE) children and their parents: 28th February
  • Those interested in taking part in other offerings (e.g. music, Vedam): 28th February
  • Other devotees: 30th April

It is mandatory for the group to stay within the ashram and to attend the pre-pilgrimage sadhana meetings.

Next sadhana meeting

The next meeting is to be held at Regional level:

• Regions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5: Saturday 22nd February
• Region 6: Sunday 23rd February
• Region 7: Saturday 8th March

Further details are to be found in the 'Regional Roundup' section below.

Please visit our website for further details of the pilgrimage.

The National Office Bearers and Active Workers Conference 2025 opened with a reminder of Bhagawan Baba’s vision, the vision of which we must first remind ourselves this year: just as five fingers must work together, so must the wings of the Organisation, with service as the unifying force. We are here to serve through each of these Wings, ensuring that our actions align with the mission of selfless service.

A 2024 highlights video recalled the great array of achievements that the Organisation carried out across all Wings, particularly as the 99th year was an incredibly auspicious milestone, leading us into the Centenary year. A major achievement for us is that the UK Organisation became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), as reiterated in our National President’s welcome address. He also introduced the UK Council, now Board of Trustees, for 2025.

Zonal Chair, Brother Shitu Chudasama, through his own pledge to his role, reminded us that we are all here to serve selflessly. He emphasised that Bhagawan Baba is the head of the Organisation, and Prasanthi is the river to which our spiritual essence flows. National Vice President, Brother Sakthi spoke on Organisational matters, achievements, and the importance of staying efficient and legally compliant. This was followed by Wing presentations, where each wing provided a review of 2024 and a vision for 2025, highlighting ongoing progress and future plans.

Proceeding discussions took place among Young Adults, Centre and Group Presidents in their own teams respectively; and active workers and coordinators had an opportunity to provide valuable feedback in their own session.

After lunch, the crux of the Conference was the workshops: a chance for devotees from across the country to engage in meaningful and productive discussions that asked three important questions on the theme “Reconnection”: 1) what are the qualities required for being an Office Bearer or an Active Worker; 2) how does the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation UK CIO benefit the individual; and 3) how can we encourage others to take on Office Bearer roles or actively participate; whose responsibility is it to encourage devotees to take on Office Bearer roles? The workshops sparked healthy discussions on what the prerequisites are, how the Organisation benefits us, and how we can encourage others, ultimately learning from Swami’s words. A key take-home message: Swami is committed to us; we should be committed to Him.

The event concluded with bhajans and aarti. The Conference stands as an opportunity not only to recharge ourselves and motivate us, but also to be uplifted and inspired to continue our service with renewed dedication for the Centenary year ahead.

The Sri Sathya Sai Organisation UK CIO continues to serve communities across the world through selfless service, inspired by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s message of “Love All, Serve All.”

As you may know, a dedicated team of UK devotees will be undertaking a medical camp in Nepal, 24th-31st March, bringing much-needed healthcare and service to three locations.

This medical camp is not just about providing free medical treatment to those in need. It is an opportunity to serve with love and uplift those who may not otherwise have access to essential healthcare. Alongside medical services, we will also be carrying out several service initiatives to support local communities.

Many devotees unable to join have expressed their desire to contribute towards this worthwhile service activity.

How you can help

Below is a list of items required to support the medical camp and other service initiatives:

• Medicines for 4,000 patients
• Medical equipment hire
• Narayan Seva (food distribution) for 7,000 patients and families
• School uniforms, footwear and jackets for 50 Bal Vikas children
• Two tree saplings for 200 families
• One blanket per family for 200 families

Be a part of this seva

As Sai devotees, we practise 'Ceiling on Desires', recognising that the simplest act of restraint can be redirected into meaningful service.

If you feel inspired to support this initiative, please kindly contact your Centre/Group President and/or Centre Service Coordinator for further details or, alternatively, please send an email to the Service Wing via the link below.

"Only young men and women are capable of eradicating the evils prevailing in society. If we have virtuous youth, all the ills of society can be removed. It is essential that the youth cultivate virtues, practise self-control, and uphold values of truth and love in their lives. You must work with selflessness and dedication, and never let selfish motives guide your actions. The potential of youth is immense; with energy, intelligence, and determination, you can change the course of history. Therefore, do not waste your precious years in trivial pursuits. Instead, use this time to foster good habits, develop your intellect, and serve society with love and commitment."

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 30, Ch. 14, 17th July 1997

Young Adult Coordinators and Sai Young Adults from across the UK united for an inspiring annual National Office Bearers’ Conference, where we had several workshops and presentations. Amongst the many enriching sessions was a breakout session tailored specifically for Young Adults. The session stood out for its engaging and deeply reflective nature, offering us a chance to explore both personal and spiritual growth.

We began the session with a powerful reflective exercise: a guided meditation, whereby we closed our eyes and thought back on the past year, reflecting on our individual achievements and moments of growth. This simple yet profound activity helped me pause and truly appreciate the strides that I have made in my spiritual journey. Over the last year, I transitioned from praying sporadically - once a week - to developing a consistent habit of reading and listening to Swami’s discourses regularly. Each morning now begins with an intentional offering of the day to Him. These practices have not only deepened my connection with Swami, but also fostered a profound sense of peace. By placing my faith and trust in His greater plan, I have experienced a noticeable reduction in anxiety and unease, allowing me to approach life with a newfound calmness and clarity.

Following this moment of introspection, we were then introduced to the concept of goal setting, but with a meaningful spiritual dimension. We adapted the well-known SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to align it with spirituality, giving it a unique twist: Spirituality, Manifestation, Awareness (Atma), Realisation, and Truth. This perspective reminded us that spiritual goals, like all goals, require willpower and structure to sustain progress.

We then separated into smaller groups to delve deeper into this framework and shared our personal SMART goals. My group quickly honed in on the importance of accountability. We acknowledged how as Young Adults, it is easy to get side-tracked or rationalise our way out of commitments, particularly when life gets busy. To counter this, we came up with the idea of involving someone from our bhajan circle to help keep us accountable. The bhajan circle, being a cornerstone of our spiritual community, naturally fosters a sense of unity, positive vibrations, and shared commitment - essential elements for staying spiritually grounded.

We also discussed practical strategies to kickstart and maintain our goals. One key takeaway was the value of consistent reflection. We recognised that regular reviews, whether weekly or monthly, are crucial for assessing our progress, identifying what is working, and adjusting what is not. This practice not only helps us stay on track, but also ensures our goals remain dynamic and responsive to our evolving spiritual needs.

As the day’s workshops and discussions came to an end, I found myself engaging in even deeper self-reflection when I returned home. It became clear to me that the spiritual journey is rarely a linear path. There are peaks and valleys, moments of clarity, and times of uncertainty. But through it all, I have realised that having unwavering faith in Swami and trusting in His divine plan brings a sense of purpose and direction. Every challenge we face, every success we celebrate, is a part of the grand design Swami has for us - even if we cannot always discern the reason in the moment.

This session reminded me that growth is not just about the goals we set: it is the mindset and faith we cultivate along the way. By trusting in Swami’s guidance and leaning on the support of our spiritual community, we can continue to move forward, one step at a time, on the journey He has laid out for us.