New Delhi [India], November 24 (ANI): The Vice-President of India, CP Radhakrishnan, graced the Centenary Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Sri Sathya Sai Baba at the Sri Sathya Sai Hill View Stadium, Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday, according to the Vice President's Secretariat release.

Addressing the gathering, the Vice President described Sri Sathya Sai Baba as 'a great emissary of God, of peace, love, and selfless service,' whose message and mission transcended all barriers of caste, religion, class, and nationality. He said that Baba's guiding principles, 'Love All, Serve All' and 'Help Ever, Hurt Never', shaped every initiative he undertook and every life he touched.

Quoting the saint-poet Thiruvalluvar's Kural, the Vice-President noted that Sri Sathya Sai Baba epitomised this timeless truth by devoting his entire life to loving and serving humanity.

Emphasising Baba's teachings rooted in Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteousness), Shanthi (Peace), Prema (Love), and Ahimsa (Non-violence), the Vice-President said these eternal values remain essential for building a harmonious and progressive society. He underscored Baba's message, urging humanity to replace discord with harmony and selfishness with sacrifice, values that are especially relevant in today's world marked by uncertainty and conflict.

According to the release, VP stressed that public life, too, must be guided by truth, duty, empathy, and moral responsibility--virtues that Sri Sathya Sai Baba deeply propagated.

Highlighting the far-reaching impact of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, he praised its extensive initiatives in healthcare, education, and social welfare. He commended the Trust's Mobile Rural Health Services as a 'vital lifeline' for remote communities and lauded the Trust's educational institutions for providing world-class, values-based, fee-free education.

The Vice-President noted that the Trust continues to uplift communities through drinking-water projects, disaster relief, and a host of humanitarian services. He highlighted Sri Sathya Sai Baba's pivotal contribution in rejuvenating the Telugu Ganga canal, which ensured drinking water supply to Chennai--an act of service that the people of Tamil Nadu will always remember. These initiatives, he said, stand as enduring examples of how love expressed through service can transform society.

On this auspicious occasion, the Vice-President called upon all devotees and citizens to honour Baba's legacy through action by extending a helping hand to the needy and nurturing peace in families, communities, and the nation.

Extending his greetings to the entire Sai community, he concluded with the universal prayer, 'Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu!' and expressed hope that the teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba will continue to illuminate the path of humanity, reminding us that 'the greatest worship is service, and the greatest offering is love.'

During the centenary celebrations, the Vice President also witnessed the cultural presentation by students at the Centenary Celebrations of Sri Sathya Sai Baba at the Sri Sathya Sai Hill View Stadium, Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh.

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Governor of Tripura, N. Indra Sena Reddy, Chief Minister of Telangana, A. Revanth Reddy, Minister for HRD, IT, Electronics & Communication and RTG, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Nara Lokesh, Minister of Government of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Shekhar Babu, Managing Trustee, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, R. J. Rathnakar, All India President, Sri Sathya Sai Sewa organisation, Nimish Pandya, Chancellor, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, K. Chakravarthi, and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. (ANI)