Educational Institutions

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning

Value Education

The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning is perhaps one of the few institutions in the country in the field of Higher Education which emphasise character building as much, if not more than, mere academic excellence. It is based on Bhagawan Baba's contribution to the world of learning in the form of Education in Human Values as extended to Higher Education. The single golden thread that runs through the gamut of all the activities of the Institute . curricular, co-curricular and extra curricular, is that education is for life and not for mere living . The uniqueness of the Institute lies in the academic environment being suffused with pure Love, and the students being moulded in a spirit of sacrifice and service to the community.

Baba has been stressing that the end of education is character and that the true meaning of education is not merely knowledge, but knowledge in action. The emphasis is on purity and harmony of thoughts, words and action. Knowledge and skills are imparted in the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning in an atmosphere of tenderness and intense love. The type of education provided here is education that ensures absorption of knowledge, accumulation of wisdom and an appreciation of the experience of ancient ideals of Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi, Prema and Ahimsa. In the scheme of Integral Education of the Institute, it endeavors to combine through its awareness programmes and thoughtfully designed curricular and co-curricular programmes, academic excellence with duty and devotion, erudition through purity and meditation, healthfulness through yoga and service, social and national awareness through field and project work, and a sense of unity and world brotherhood through acquaintance with seekers of truth from all parts of the world. The major focus at the Institute, apart from academic excellence, is the development of character, correct attitudes and values . Each student is assisted to conduct himself in consonance with the highest principles of humility and integrity.

Speaking on the role of the Educational System in building the right values, Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Revered Chancellor of the Institute, observed as early as 25 years ago that human values are the need of the hour . not only in educational institutions but in every walk of life and throughout the world. Human values cannot be promoted merely by repeating the words Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa. The heart cannot be transformed by lessons in a classroom. What is needed are the persons who will provide the stimulus and the encouragement to bring them out. The world cannot be changed by mere preaching. It is only through action and practical examples, in all-educational institutions, can the impulse for change be intensified. When teachers and elders practice disciplined and regulated life and when human values are fully imbibed by them, the students will automatically follow. Truth and Right Conduct should be adhered to with pure intentions. A righteous life leads to peace. Love is to be experienced in the depths of peace. Love should find expression in non-violence . These basic values have to be demonstrated in action and not limited to preaching alone.

Clarifying that secularism really means equal respect for all faiths and beliefs, Baba stated that Sri Sathya Sai Institute is truly secular in this sense because its philosophy as well as methodology are based on equal respect for all religions and that we are wedded to Unity and harmony as evident from the Institute's Emblem, work ethos and content of Courses , both curricular and co-curricular.

The Three Campuses

All the three campuses of the Institute Prasanthi Nilayam, Whitefield and Ananthpur are residential and located in a quiet and peaceful environment healthy for intellectual and emotional development. The Campuses and hostel have spacious, beautiful and artistically designed buildings. The institutions stand out for their simplicity and elegance. Hostels provide reasonable amenities to the students.

In the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus, there is a full-fledged residential primary and secondary school from class I to Class XII affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi. In Ananthpur, there is +2 secondary stage programme which is affiliated to the Board of Intermediate Education, Andhra Pradesh. These schools and other Institutions, in different states, up to +2 stage, also act as a feeder for the three Campuses.

Observations by Visiting Teams

Within five years of its existence, the Association of Indian Universities on the basis of the report of their High Level Expert Team, which visited the Institute in March 1986, recommended it for full membership.

The Report of the A.I.U. Team

The Visiting Team is convinced that the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, being a unique Deemed University, can act as a model Institute and therefore have no hesitation in recommending it for full membership of the Association of Indian Universities..

Visiting Committee of the University Grants Commission

Two other features are unique. First, the Institute, including the two campuses is fully residential, founded with the aim of imparting knowledge with human and universal values and second, no fees are charged except for nominal payment for boarding in the hostels.

The Committee members were impressed by the underlying philosophy at the Campus. This reflected a combination of most modern pursuits in the area of science and technology with cultural, spiritual and traditional values of various religious traditions of India. The Committee was also impressed by the fact that despite the emphasis on spiritual and cultural values, no emphasis on any specific religion were given. In this sense, the approach is spiritual, secular and universal.

The infrastructure of the Institute in terms of buildings, laboratories, hostels and various other facilities required by the students and teachers is very impressive. Quite apart from the facilities, the management and maintenance of the infrastructure is of the highest standard found anywhere in the country. This is a reflection of the discipline and values, which are an integral part of all activities at the Campus.

Cultural expression is given an important place in co-curricular activities. These activities are held regularly on dates predetermined in the calendar of activities at the Institute.

The calendar of activities is very regular. Admissions, examinations, declaration of results are all held regularly without any interruption in the schedule.

The Committee was also impressed by the fact that the Institute is able to meet the major part of its expenditure on running the campus on its own resources. The University Grants Commission grants are, in the total scheme of expenditure, quite marginal. It shows what can be achieved with limited resources but with leadership and vision brought to bear upon the educational enterprise.

Uniqueness of The Institute

The formal inauguration of the University took place on November 22, 1981. In the courses of the Benedictory Address, Revered Chancellor, among other things, stressed the fact that the students of today will be the leaders of tomorrow. They should treat their motherland not as a mere lump of earth but a sacred land, which has to be sanctified through complete dedication. Foundations of a nation can be built on stable basis if five elements: people, government, parents, teachers and students, coordinate their plans and efforts. He emphasised the urgent need for continuously pursuing moral excellence along with academic accomplishments by the students. In order to achieve this balance, it would be necessary to build anew the whole educational system based on love, truth, faith, compassion, and humility . Humility, which is the product of Vidya, should be the mark of scholarship. The most fundamental areas to study and watch are how broad are our hearts, how much are we aware of our inner principles and what exactly is the purpose and goal of this human existence. While stating that students should strive to attain high ranks, He emphasised the need for earning esteemable virtues. While the students may be eager to collect marks they should strive equally hard to avoid remarks and ensure good reputation.

Referring to the fact that Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Deemed University) was at that time the 108th University in India, Revered Chancellor mentioned that all other Universities should also succeed and serve the country. This University will have distinct features, unique in many ways. He announced emphatically that, along with subjects related to worldly knowledge, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning will impart instruction in ethical, moral and spiritual codes and practices of virtues, such as purity of mind, adherence to truth, dedication to the Supreme, discipline and devotion to duty .

Distinctive Features

The Institute has several distinctive features. The more important among these are:

Residential character of the Institute with students and faculty staying on the Campuses;

An open admission policy enabling students from all over the country to seek admission to various courses, irrespective of income, class, creed, religion or region, making it truly national in character;

Free education for all , who are selected on the basis of merit, through a very comprehensive testing and interviewing procedures giving adequate weightage to Intellectual attainments and intuitive insight;

Development of scientific research at the doctoral level relevant to the local and national needs; introduction of educational technology through the installation of a modern space theatre in rural surroundings providing an opportunity for the students and the faculty to develop various kinds of simulation exercises and also formulate programmes of a creative and constructive character;

Integrated courses of five years duration in order to promote talent;

Favourable average teacher-pupil ratio of 1:6 with closer rapport between students and faculty;

Maximum number of working days, fuller utilisation of national holidays and important festivals for educational purposes and extension work.

Combining professional competence with value orientation in setting up professional faculties like Business Management and Education.

Awareness programme for the undergraduate studies and Foundation courses for professional degrees like MBA and B-Ed. This is in addition to the core courses, which are equivalent to the courses of studies of other Universities.

The Institute Emblem

Every Institute/University has an emblem of its own which is a symbolic presentation - in its quintessential form - of its aspirations, ideals and philosophy. The emblem of Sri Sathya Sai Institute Of Higher Learning, designed by the Revered Chancellor, presents beautifully and in a comprehensive manner, the basic human values, the illumination of our intellect, the essential unity of all faiths and religions, the pursuit of eight-fold path namely, good conduct, purity of thought, correct posture, breath control, mind control, single-pointed concentration, uninterrupted contemplation on the object, for union with the eternal one which helps in The blossoming of the personality like the lotus which is the symbol of spiritual fulfilment.

Thus, the emblem significantly presents the objectives and the wider perspective of the Institute. We believe that this is possible in Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning.

In the words of our Chancellor:

The Chief goal of human existence is the realisation of Ananda (Bliss) for all mankind and the unity of all men in the world of love. This is the Higher Learning which this Institute will teach."

The students and the Faculty members constantly draw inspiration from the Institute Emblem and the curricular and co-curricular programmes try to realise the basic philosophy of the Institute.

Schedule Of Work In The Institute Campus

Daily Schedule: The students programme is packed from 5.00 a.m. in the morning until 10.00 p.m. in the evening with a variety of curricular and co-curricular activities. Participation in these activities develops in them the correct perspective and a balanced view of attaining physical, emotional, psychic, intellectual and intuitional perfection. Time is so judiciously distributed between different activities that the students, even though busy, feel relaxed. It is emphasised that rest is when there is change in work. It is based on this cardinal principle that the activities are organised.

In every activity, both in the hostels and the Campuses, students participate to their full capacity. There is minimum dependence on hired labour in the laboratories, hostel, maintenance of lawns and campus sites, which are largely maintained by students under the overall supervision of Faculty members. Revered Chancellor's observation: "Hands that help are holier than lips that pray" is always the motivating force.

Self-reliance: The daily programme of self-reliance in the hostel revolves around such activities like catering of food in the dining hall, gardening, operation and maintenance of audio-visual aids, managing stationery stores and fruit stall, organising health care in the dispensary, looking after office upkeep, guest reception, maintenance of telephones, looking after work connected with plumbing, repair and maintenance of library and reading room.

Other activities relating to self-reliance and co-curricular programmes which are undertaken, once a week, in the Institute Campus are maintenance of Hill View Stadium, lawns, quadrangle, gardens, auditorium, prayer hall (foyer), plants and fences, electric installation and plumbing, audio-visual equipment and development of horticulture around library building, organisation of dramatics, photography and painting, video films, slides of educational, cultural and inspiring topics.

Social Service Weeks: During social service weeks, students get an opportunity of repairing roads, buildings, cleaning, white washing, organising medical camps, tree plantation, etc. During festivals and other functions, the management of stage at Prasanthi Nilayam, including electric installation, audio-visual equipment and other aspects of dramas are looked after by the students. The students are also available on special occasions for serving the poor in terms of distribution of clothes, food, maintenance of general traffic, orderly movement of crowds, catering, seating, etc.

Morning Assembly Address: In order to encourage meaningful participation of the students, they are encouraged to address the morning assembly sessions for about 15 minutes on important themes relating to unity of faiths, great leaders of the world, eminent scientists, sages, saints patriots, thinkers, philosophers and their own personal experiences in the University, etc. Talks about sages, saints, apostles, public men, social workers, etc. are not only confined to India but to other parts of the world which proves that even though geographically men of eminence may belong to different parts of the world, they have in fact one goal and philosophy in common which is to serve man and world. These talks are based on an in-depth study of the lives of great men in various spheres of human activity with a view to bringing out the good qualities and values actually lived by them, which contributed to their greatness as inspiring leaders. The personalities covered have been eminent leaders and therefore a source of inspiration. Instead of dwindling into a daily ritual, this active participation of students in the daily morning assembly gives them an occasion to search in the library and elsewhere for books and materials, not containing moral lessons, but lives of great men given as things of supreme interest-lives which exemplify the living of great thoughts and noble emotions.

It makes them reflect on various aspects of the lives of great men, select and sift what is relevant for the occasion, collect their thoughts and present these in a coherent manner before the mixed audience of Faculty members, students and sometimes outside guests. Apart from the fact that opportunities are given in public speaking on topics of human values, participation in the morning assembly stimulates intellectual excellence and promotes intuitive abilities both among the speakers and among the listeners. The subjects covered in these talks are organised in such a way that they not only inspire and instruct but also enable one to reflect on the imperatives of abiding human values. The students who participate in the morning talks feel inspired and accept it as both a challenge and an opportunity. It is a delight to watch the young boys and girls to express themselves on subjects, which have ethical values and have universal appeal.

Thursday Assemblies On Thursdays, a distinguished speaker is requested to talk on his thrilling personal experiences, messages from our sacred scriptures, the services rendered by noble persons which make our lives worthy of living and of service to the common man. The speakers on Thursday, include not only learned scholars from various educational institutions but people of all ranks including eminent educationists, judges, engineers, doctors, highly successful business managers, administrators, diplomats, scientists, social workers, etc. not only within the country but all over the world who visit the Campuses from time to time.

The students themselves organise symposia on themes relating to science and spirituality, tradition and modernity, role of ethical values in blossoming human excellence, discipline and duty indispensable for perfection. Four to five students take part in the Symposia and place their point of view before the Faculty, students and distinguished guests.

Annual Sports of the Institute is always an important event when students from all the campuses congregate in the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus for three to four days. Students of all Faculties take active part in important sports and games.

The most outstanding feature of life in the three campuses is discipline at all stages and in every activity. We are mostly guided by the following observations of the Revered Chancellor, which reads:

"The medium of instruction in this Institute is discipline; the first, second and the third languages are love, service and Sadhana".

Integral Items Of Education

The philosophy of education of the Institute is based on the appreciation of the need to provide full scope for the development of mind and heart. Discipline, duty and adherence to basic human values as the best qualities of students in the Institute, are deeply appreciated. These are being observed in various situations in the hostel, in the playground and in the campuses and during the organisation of festivals and other important functions. It is precisely because of the importance of these activities for the overall development of personality that the Institute attaches great importance to integral items of education like Yogasanas, games and sports, attendance in morning prayers and meditation, attendance in universal prayers and participation in morning assembly talks, attendance in classes and social work/self-reliance programmes. These are incorporated in the total system of our education in the Institute.

Sports and Games : Students are encouraged to play sports and games both in the mornings and in evenings on the play fields. Students form themselves into house teams and conduct tournaments between the teams. An annual tournament and athletic meet is organised and students who distinguish themselves are awarded certificates of merit.

Yoga Classes : The Institute provides lessons in the philosophy of Yogasanas and physical fitness exercises. Students are welcome to join these classes to improve their health and physical fitness and advance further in Yoga.

Social work & self-reliance Programme : The Institute seeks to shape students who are sensitive to and aware of the problems of the people living around them in society. Through the social work and extension programmes, students learn to help the poor, the unfortunate, the disabled and the sick. Under self-reliance programme, kitchen and catering service is efficiently operated by students themselves

Extra-curricular Activities

Music & Drama :

Appreciation of fine arts, music and drama plays an important role in the development of a cultured personality. Several cultural programmes are organised at the Institute during the course of the year. Talented students are encouraged to participate and give performances. These functions are organised and managed by students themselves. The Institute. s ' social and cultural events teach many essential facts such as shouldering a variety of responsibilities, an attitude of willingness to work as a team and a spirit of cooperation.

Elocution, Debate and Quiz :

Students interested in public speaking participate in elocution and debate contests. The inter-campus competition is organised every year in all these items. Good speakers are chosen to address a large number of devotees and assemble at Prasanthi Nilayam on important occasions and festivals.

Awareness Programme

Overall Purpose :

One of the unique features of this Institute is the Awareness Course. Students in the Institute come from different places and different regional, cultural and social backgrounds. The Awareness Programme serves as an equalising and blending process that brings them all to an Institute known for its highest and noblest philosophy. This means bringing them to a high level of awareness of the important fields of human understanding - the humanities, sciences and human values. Awareness Course constitutes an essential component of integrated curricula against a background of comprehensive and general education. This programme is based on the true needs of the students, exposing them to great spiritual, inspirational, cultural and scientific ideas and developments of mankind and also acquainting them with the realities of this global village we all live in. The student advances from general principles, concepts and theories to advanced learning processes of individual research, independent study and area of specialisation. It is also linked with the theory and practice of Total education, which has recently emerged as an innovation of great educational potential. The Awareness programme tries to highlight the importance of five basic human values and their relationship with the development and blossoming of the human personality.

Duration :

These Awareness Courses cover the first six semesters, i.e. under-graduate programme. After experimentation in the implementation of the programme during the last few years, several modifications have been incorporated. Awareness Course has now been incorporated at the post-graduate level as well.

Content :

The Course introduces the student to the broad sweep of general knowledge in the most important fields of human learning and then help him to integrate this knowledge with the basic human values and the spiritual philosophy that has become an indelible part of his life in the Institute.

In a similar way, the students are exposed to great literature, fine arts, social sciences and the cultural history of the world from the human and value oriented prospective.

The important departure in these Awareness Courses, from other Foundation Courses elsewhere, is purposeful cultivation in the student of a very broad view of the human condition; this view is inter-disciplinary, in that it cuts across all academic lines. It is cross-cultural in that it includes the great contributions of cultures spanning a vast range of space and time. It is interfaith in that it brings out the unity of all the great world religions. It is transpersonal in that it provides a link of understanding that reaches up to the highest plane of spiritual experience. At the same time, it is practical in that it fosters the development of skills that are directly applicable to relieving human misery and distress wherever they may be found.

Objectives :

There are three principal objectives of the Awareness programme.

Link between General Knowledge and Spiritual Knowledge :

This process, begun in these awareness classes, of establishing the linkages between spiritual philosophy and secular learning by bringing in values into every field, starts the student on a life-time practice of seeking out the deeper truths hidden behind every aspect of worldly knowledge.

Practical Knowledge and Skills :

The courses are designed, taught and evaluated in such a way that the students have enough scope to imbibe the basic human values. It starts with an appreciation of the values developing into conviction for having them and culminating in adoration of the values so as to inspire them to imbibe the values. The students are introduced to various manual skills and practical knowledge of direct value to them when they encounter unexpected situations in life. They are prepared to be better equipped to help others and to engage in useful social service and village upliftment, in broad skill areas to which they would not have been normally exposed in the course of their formal education.

Implementing Ideals in Daily Life :

The students are encouraged to discuss ways in which each one in his own chosen field will have to implement ideals, under the many pressures and difficulties one is likely to encounter in the world. By learning to deal with these problems, by keeping up his principles, the individuals can live an ideal life and maintain his integrity in the face of all obstacles.

Foundation Courses in Professional Studies

Need :

While the Awareness Course is an integral component of studies in the five-year integrated programme, covering undergraduate and postgraduate studies, General Foundation Courses have been included in the syllabi of professional courses started last year by the Institute in the Faculties of Business Management and Education. This has been done partly because a number of students, who seek and get admission into professional courses, have not gone through Awareness Course of the Institute, and partly because of the need to give solid basic grounding in fundamental values and appreciation of the cultural heritage and challenges ahead.

MBA Programme :

In the Foundation Courses of the MBA Programme, emphasis is on the role of Indian ethos and values, great Indian leaders, biographical and case studies, self-awareness and personal growth, group dynamics, strategy, structure and management of change. These curricular inputs are essential in the training of personnel for man-management. The course is very comprehensive and introduces the students to the world of work through the work of noble persons who have assumed enlightened leadership in their particular walks of life.

B.Ed. Programme :

In the Foundation Course of the B.Ed. Programme, students are exposed to an overall knowledge about our land and people, Indian Culture and Constitution, world perspective covering physical, commercial and geographical features, world races, major religions of the world, literature and arts, land marks in the study of science, spirituality and science, nature of man, Indian and Western view points, transformation of man, self-fulfilment, national system of education, Sri Sathya Sai model of Education, insights into the personal philosophy of life, etc.

In the B.Ed. Programme, in addition to Foundation Course, there is one important Course relating to 'Education in Human Values' of 3 credits with 48 periods. 'Education in Human Values' Course introduces the students to the concepts of values, need for value-based education, unity of faiths, values enshrined in the Constitution, organisation of values under five core sectors of Truth, Righteous Conduct, Peace, Love and Non-Violence, methods and techniques of teaching human values in the schools and their evaluation

Education In Human Values - Success Story

Review : Since 1948-49, various high level Commissions and Committees, one after the other, have been recommending value orientation of education. The Education Commission, 1964-66 observed that modernisation did not mean, within the Indian conditions, a refusal to recognise the importance of inculcation of necessary moral and spiritual values and self-discipline. The Commission put it beautifully and subtly. "While a combination of ignorance with goodness may be futile, that of knowledge with a lack of essential values may be dangerous". It further stated that the balance has to be struck between knowledge and skills which science and technology bring with the values and insights associated with ethics and religion at its best, namely, to quote the poetic language of the Commission, "a search for the knowledge of the self, of the meaning of life, of the relationship of man to other human beings and To the ultimate reality". The National policy on Education, 1968, endorsed the recommendation of The Education Commission.

Bhagawan Baba had introduced 'Education in Human Values' programme as early as the seventies. He felt that it has to begin right from the early childhood days when boys and girls are of impressionable age. They could be introduced in slow and gradual manner to Indian ethical and spiritual thought through the study of stories of our great seers and sages and through some of the facets of world scriptures. This gave shape to the Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas Movement - Child Development programme in the country. There are thousands of such centres where the programme is going on systematically.

Natural corollary of this programme was "Education in Human Values" at the school stage. Instead of listing a large of values - which may be more of sub-values, attitudes and habits an attempt was made to find out the summation of some important human values. The major human values were crystallised under five broad heads, namely

Truth

Righteous Conduct

Peace

Love

Non-Violence

Besides giving the conceptual frame-work of the approximation of these values to the five broad aspects of human personality, namely Truth corresponding with intellectual, Righteous Conduct with physical, Peace with emotional, Love with psychic and Non-Violence with spiritual, operational modalities were also worked out and learning through co-curricular activities were designed. For the last 7 to 8 years the programme of Education in Human Values is being implemented in schools run and managed by different States, Corporations, and Industrial Undertakings with commendable success. In many overseas centres, this programme has expanded.

Perception & Intuition : No special formula can be suggested for the promotion of human values in institutions of higher education. What the Institute has been doing has been stated earlier. However, the operational implications of the conceptual framework of total education have to be clear and to be understood in their proper perspective. For bringing about the desired educational renaissance, programmes in the Institute, with teaching resources, tools, content of courses and methodology adopted therein, have been designed in such a manner that these promote both the perceptive knowledge (samjna) and intuitive insight (prajna) in order to develop an integrated personality - the perfect man.

Development of perceptive knowledge with intuitive insight is being successfully attempted by a very well-balanced and judicious combination of learning; in addition to developing memory and understanding and cultivating the skills relevant to the mastery of academic subjects and disciplines through a series of live skills one after the other, like (a) self-help skills (b) subject skills (c) professional skills (d) social or group skill, and lastly (e) the ethical skills.

The Integral Education of the Sai Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning goes on to prove the feasibility of a viable model for a total reorientation to university level education. At the operational level, it would be useful to delineate some of the salient features, which could have great relevance in the larger context of formal educational systems. Some of these features are listed below:

An up-to-date and well balanced curriculum, meant to avoid stuffing of the brain with information, but promoting a spirit of inquiry based on current levels of knowledge,

Teaching methods imparting the right values aimed at promoting the learning capabilities and facilitating total awareness,

An examination system which brings out the best in the students and makes a continuous assessment of his comprehension instead of making it a stressful one shot operation,

Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities like yoga, music, sports and group activities which promote a team and community spirit instead of merely stressing individual excellence,

Fully residential nature of the courses, which ensures a holistic approach to the content and methods of imparting education, and most important of all

Words of acclaim

The Deemed University has established a unique place in the realm of higher education and has been acclaimed by leading public personalities as evidenced from their convocation addresses. A few excerpts are given below:

Sri P.V.Narasimha Rao, Prime Minister of India (Convocation, November 1991)

This Institute is a pioneering and unique seat of Learning; spiritual and ethical values permeate this University. The atmosphere here is calm, solemn, and serene, and is surcharged with spiritual ethos. It is in such an environment that our ancient Rishis transmitted knowledge to their disciples. It is for this reason that I feel happy to be here. For myself, I would like to humbly study this Institution, understand the process of how it grew from strength to strength, and then see what can be done to extend the influence and the halo of this Institute far and wide in India.

Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, President of India (Convocation, November 1992)

I am deeply impressed by the infrastructure, atmosphere, equipment and human resources organized for imparting education at Vidyagiri. The campuses at Prasanthi Nilayam, Brindavan and Ananthpur are an invaluable asset in the crucial task of promoting Integral Education. Indeed, these constitute a blessing of far-reaching significance. There is much to be learnt here by the student, the teachers, educationists and policy-makers.

Rt. Hon. Anerood Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius (Convocation, November 1993)

It is indeed rare to find Institutions of higher learning like the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, where students receive free education, where voluntary service prevails, and where the acquisition of knowledge and wisdom is combined with duty and devotion.

What is unique at this Institute is that it is founded by Bhagawan Baba; it is inspired by His teachings, and is guided by His concept of a wholesome education, based on the fundamental values of Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love and Non-violence.

Dr. Manmohan Singh, Union Finance Minister (Convocation, November 1995)

The concept of integral education, which is a Divine gift of Bhagawan Baba to this Institute, comes closest to ancient ideals. Blessed indeed are the students who have had the privilege of going through an educational programme which combines deep appreciation of the method of modern science and technology and the ancient Indian knowledge and wisdom accumulated over the centuries. This type of education can be a powerful means of self-perfection and social redemption.

Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of India (Convocation, November 1998)

The very name of this institute explains its purpose and its mission-namely, that it is a centre for Higher Learning. It imparts education that truly belongs to an altogether higher category of human quest. It is an experience of learning that is holistic and based on a deeper understanding of Man and his purpose of being.

It pursues the knowledge of the material world and the outer environment. Equally importantly, it also trains the students in the spiritual heritage of the world and refines their knowledge of man. s inner environment. The higher learning, which the pupils here seek, and receive, facilitates their integral development.

The higher learning that your Institute pursues and imparts is . higher. precisely because it integrates all the concerns of humanity in the age of globalization. It is a new experiment in education that is deeply rooted in Indian soil and culture and philosophy, and yet, has a universal appeal.

Other Institutions

Sri Sathya Sai organisation has full-fledged under-graduate Collages of Arts, Science and Commerce in Jaipur (Rajasthan), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) and Bhubaneswar (Orissa) affiliated to the local Universities. Though these institutions follow the curriculum laid down by the respective Universities, their co-curricular activities and self-reliance programmes are, more or less, in tune with those of our Institute. Further, the organisation has a network of large number of educational institutions in different States conducting courses up to various stages of education.