A event that showcases the underpinnings of the system of Values-based Integral Education
JANUARY 11 - 15
Why do all the Sai educational institutions at Prasanthi Nilayam have an elaborate Annual Sports & Cultural Meet every year? What is the genesis?
The singular focus of all Sai students for the Annual Sports & Cultural Meet has always been to please Swami and make Him proud. On the other hand, Swami—with His divine vision—made sure that these pure feelings of Love were translated into the pursuit of excellence in every facet of a student’s evolution.
One of the foremost of these facets was developing Self Confidence. From concept to performance, each event brought home challenges that seem unsurpassable at first; but with dedication, teamwork and facing fears and doubts, they culminate into outstanding performances.
Sometimes Swami would even cancel events in the eleventh hour if they were not up to the mark. Dealing with those disappointments taught students a different (but perhaps necessary) set of life lessons.
The other amazing aspect of Sports Meet was thriftiness. With meagre resources, students put together props that are beautiful, often with recycled materials. This brought to the fore not just creative energy and original ideas, but also a sense of unity as you must work with one another to achieve excellence in a limited amount of time under immense pressure.
The fact that the Sports Meet has 100% participation from teachers and students is an amazing feat, unparalleled in the field of education. This fact also encourages the cultivation of discipline. If one student is late for practice, the entire team is held up.
In this manner, slowly, over the years, Swami evolved the culture behind the scenes of the Annual Sports & Cultural Meet to put in effect all the underlying principles of Sri Sathya Sai Values-based Integral Education for students and teachers.
Perhaps as He always said, The End of Culture is Perfection.
Perseverance and tenacity are often the foundational traits of success. When combined with dedication and teamwork, the result is outstanding. Over two thousand students—age five to twenty-five—of Sri Sathya Sai educational institutions wore these very traits on their sleeve on the 11th of January, today. Together, they put on a spectacular display of courage, hard work, skill and brilliance during the Annual Sports and Cultural Meet, a stand-out event of the illustrious institutions annual academic calendars.
The event is a major part of the values-based integral education system practiced at these institutions for over thirty-five years. The prime motivation for this offering is to please the Revered Founder Chancellor, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Preparations for the event began a month in advance.
Sri Sathya Sai Hill View Stadium in Prasanthi Nilayam, Andhra Pradesh hosted the event under the warm winter sun leading toa fire torch display under the night sky. Each institution performed for an average of twenty minutes. Presentations included gymnastic drills, Chinese martial arts, synchronized performances, stunts on trampolines, fire and bikes, and several more.
The creative ideas, setups, props, practice and final performances were a combined effort of the teachers and students of the institutions with limited budgets andvery little assistance from the outside.
The Sri Sathya Sai educational institutions include all the four campuses of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music, Sri Sathya Sai Primary and Higher Secondary Schools, Smt. Eswaramma English Medium School and SSSIHMS College of Nursing.
They are totally nonprofit and provide free education for all students. They are a direct manifestation of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s vision for humanity through values-based integral education. The environment in these institutions is similar to the ancient Indian ‘gurukula’ system of education, in a modern context. Equal importance is given to both academics and the development of a student’s character at all Sai educational institutions.
II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
2020 Schedule
Follow Below Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPQxK1Ap930&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2huy0T1DAc&feature=youtu.be - 2020 TEASER