The word ‘hero’ generally leads us to relate to fictional superheroes but I think heroes are regular people who do the right thing despite the circumstances. They break barriers and travel through paths that are least travelled in order to achieve their goals. They push themselves towards creating a positive impact on not one, but many. One such person who embodies all of these qualities is Sri Sathya Sai Baba or ‘Swami,’ as he is fondly referred.
Poverty is a very significant issue in India, from where I belong. Seeing poor people on the roads every day made me realize that there are innumerable things we take for granted.
Swami believed in providing free healthcare, education, and food to people globally. He achieved his mission by setting up one of India’s largest super-speciality hospitals known as the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences. The hospital has a mission statement that healthcare should be available to all, irrespective of caste, religion, nationality, or financial status. People from all over the world come to the hospital to be treated for free. He also set up primary schools and colleges where children, till date, study for free. The schools provide free education that focuses on character and academic development. There are various branches of his organization globally where devotees voluntarily work towards providing food, shelter, or any kind of help to people in the area. People and devotees also work on his projects of providing free water, sanitation, and food to poor people in India.
All these services have been possible only because of Swami’s vision, and the positive impact he had on millions that is prompting so many to do good in the world. This makes him a true hero, of, and for the people.
https://www.iol.co.za/thepost/remembering-the-legacy-of-sathya-sai-baba-12128418
http://us.sathyasai.org/community-events