Impressive Valedictory Ceremony Of Annual Sports & Cultural Meet…
Saturday, January 14th, 2017
Today is the day of rewards. After long season of hard work and toil when the auspicious Makara Sankranthi dawned today, as per the set Prasanthi tradition it is time for reaping rich harvest. Akin to this festive pattern, in the Divine Abode in Prasanthi Nilayam, the day dons special hues with greater significance, as this is the very day when the dedicated, disciplined students of Sathya Sai Educational Institutions reap a special ‘harvest’, winning prices at the Hands Of The Lord, for their stupendous, dedicated feats in the Annual Sports & Cultural Meet.
In a glittering function held in the Divine Omnipresence Of Beloved Bhagawan, that reflected the well deserved charisma of ‘Sathya Sai Order’, the winners were presented with the prizes this morning here, at the Sai Kulwant Hall in Prasanthi Nilayam.
Earlier, the slow march squad of the University Band from Prasanthi Nilayam set the proceedings on for the morning, entering into the venue from the Divine Abode – Yajur Mandiram, marching to the tunes of band beats, escorted by Flag-bearing squad and Veda chanting group.
Vedic invocation followed next. Commencing the ensuing session, Sri G Srinivasan Rangarajan, Principal, Brindavan Campus of SSSIHL, gave a brief introductory speech delving into the significance of the auspicious Makara Sankranthi. Delving on the inception of Sai Educational Institutions and the saga of Sports and Cultural Meet, the speaker attributed it to Bhagawan’s motive to bring refinement in the hearts and minds of the young men and women at large.
Dr Subhash Subramaniam, Asst. Professor at the Dept. of Management Studies, SSSSIHL, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus, addressed the august assembly next, speaking his mind out on the significance of the mammoth Sports and Cultural Celebrations. Calling the Project a Practical Workshop of the 3 P’s, that being Purity, Patience and Perseverance, Dr Subhash then narrated the 3 P’s with beautiful practical examples. Explaining the first P, Purity, the speaker identified the Sports Meet as a training to take a leap of faith to higher levels unmindful of the consequences. While ‘Patience’ helps one to distinguish between response and reaction, ‘Perseverance’ stands out enabling one to break the wall of limitations and assumptions, observed the speaker who highlighted ‘Gratitude’ as the main motto of every single student, be it the tiny tots from the primary level or the senior-most students from the University, that enables them to perform in His Ultimate Divine Presence.
Five more speakers shared the dais next, representing all the four campuses, along with a student from the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School, Prasanthi Nilayam. The speakers were, Kum Vaishali Singh from the Anantapur Campus, Sri Muralidhar from SSSHSS, Sarvasree Aditya Krishna, Nikhilesh Murthy, TSS Babu, from the Muddenahalli, Brindavan and Prasanthi Nilayam campuses respectively. These students shared beautiful, heart-touching stories of dedicated efforts with absolute faith in Swami, that they have experienced during the run-up to the Sports Meet and on the D-Day.
Prize distribution ceremony followed next. Divine Chancellor’s Cups were presented to all the institutions, Sri Sathya Sai Primary School, Smt Easwaramma English Medium High School, Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School, College Of Nursing & Allied Health Sciences, SSSIHMS, Whitefield, Sathya Sai Mirpuri College Of Music, followed by the four campuses, Muddenahalli, Anantapur, Brindavan and Prasanthi Nilayam. Senior Trust Members at SSSCT Sarvasree K.Chakravarthi and TKK Bhagawat shared the honours, presenting the cups to the winners.
Winner’s trophies for various houses and inter collegiate competitions were given away next.
Bhagawan’s Divine Discourse followed, played on the public address system. For man, at the time of departure, it is only Samskara that is going to follow him, not the Samsara, the worldly, ephemeral, exhorted Bhagawan, pinpointing on the supreme importance of know the Self. Knowledge Of The Self Is Immortal. Chant the Name Of The Lord and pray for the Universal Welfare, Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu, Bhagawan concluded, exhorting students to get into human welfare projects.
Bhajans followed and intermittently, the University Band played a couple of tunes before resuming the bhajans that ended with Bhagawan singing in His mellifluous voice. Mangala Arathi was offered at 1045 hrs. marking the end of the session.
II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
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