The fundamental aim of the National Youth Meet was to demonstrate to the students how a life rooted in the practice of human values of Truth, Righteousness, peace, Love and Non-Violence can empower them to bring about a positive change not only to their lives, but also to the society, and world at large. Speakers from diverse cultural organisations shared their experiences with the participants.
The three-day National Youth Meet was based on following themes:
Day One – May 25, 2016: Harmony of Religions
Day Two – May 26, 2016: Ideals from the Ramayana for modern times
Day Three – May 27, 2016: Education Conference – 'Spirituality and Morality in Education on the basis on Harmony of Religions'
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National Youth Meet 2016
DAY TWO – 26 MAY, 2016 (Morning Session)
Theme – Ideals from the Ramayana for modern times
The delegates, students and guests attending the National Youth Meet 2016 were in for an interesting day. Speeches and discussions by the spiritual glitterati from across organisations took the audience on a journey back in time by dwelling on the lessons from the timeless epic of Ramayana and drawing parallels from it for everyday life and living.
As soon as Bhagawan and the dignitaries were seated on the dais, the morning session began with veda chanting by the students of Sri Sathya Sai Prashanthi Niketanam PU College, Girls Campus, Chikkaballapur. The Chief Guest for the day, Sri D V Sadananda Gowda, Honourable Union Minister for Law and Justice, Government of India, and the guest speakers Swami Mitrananda, Director National Projects, All India Chinmaya Yuva Kendra and His Grace Shubha Vilas Das Prabhu, ISKCON were then formally welcomed with floral bouquets.
Sri B N Narasimha Murthy, Chief Mentor of the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Institutions, took to the stage and began his address quoting Swami Vivekananda in his introductory address. “India is immortal if she persists in her search for God. But if she goes in for politics and social conflict, she will die.” He expressed his anguish over how in spite of spiritual culture being the backbone of India, the search for God had taken a backstage in current times. He ended his speech, dwelling in detail on Bhagawan’s continuing mission of establishing educational institutions that impart education for life, not just for living.
Character development key to empowered youth
Sri D V Sadananda Gowda then addressed the audience. His simple speech struck a chord with the audience and he impressed upon the young minds on the importance of harvesting youth power in the right way. Explaining how there was no spiritual or moral education in today’s education system; he said “When one loses one’s character, it leads to social unrest in the society. Therefore, the importance of inculcating the right character in students at a young age for them to become a treasure to the society cannot be overstated.”
To read more click here
To see the Morning Session of Day Two, please click on the YouTube Link
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A view of the packed Sri Sathya Sai Premamrutham auditorium on day two of the National Youth Meet!
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Dignitaries on stage in the Divine Presence.
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Sri B N Narasimha Murthy felicitating Swami Mitrananda, Director National Projects, All India Chinmaya Yuva Kendra.
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National Youth Meet 2016
DAY TWO – 26 MAY, 2016 (Afternoon Session)
Theme – Ideals from the Ramayana for modern times
If the morning session took the audience on a journey back in time to relive the momentous moments of the great epic Ramayana, the afternoon session was designed to put the experience and learning to test!
In keeping with the day’s theme, a quiz on the timeless epic of Ramayana was conducted. Delegates, students, devotees and guests participated in the quiz with much gusto and enthusiasm. Every correct answer was rewarded with a chocolate, drawing out the child in everyone – young and old alike! The quiz master brought out many interesting and lesser known facts of the Ramayana to light, making the entire session educative, entertaining and elevating for all.
Evening Session
Following a short break for snacks, the delegates reassembled in the hall, awaiting Bhagawan’s arrival. The ceremonial Poornakumbam and Vedam welcomed Bhagawan as He arrived at the auditorium at 5 PM. Once Bhagawan and other dignitaries had ascended the dais, the evening’s proceedings commenced with invocation by the students of the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Pre-University College, Alike Campus. All the dignitaries and guests on stage were then formally introduced and welcomed with floral bouquets.
To read more click here
To see the Evening Session of Day Two, including the Drama, please click on the YouTube Link
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Students staged a drama in Sanskrit 'Bhakta Hanuman' in the evening.
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From script to costume, Bhagawan - the Divine Director, overlooked every single aspect of the drama.
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National Youth Meet 2016
DAY THREE – 27 MAY, 2016 (Afternoon Session)
Theme – 'Spirituality in Education through Harmony of Religions'
This theme was chosen to decide how both secular and spiritual education could be merged in to a philosophy, and pedagogy of education, with the power to better serve the needs of the society.
The Sri Sathya Sai Premamrutham auditorium was packed with students, delegates and devotees, eagerly awaiting Bhagawan’s arrival. Bhagawan arrived around 9.50 AM, led in a procession by the traditional Poornakumbham and Vedam even as melodious bhajans sung by the students rang through the magnificent edifice.
The speakers for the day were, Sri Sri Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji, Head, Adichunchanagiri Math, Swami Muktidananda, Head, Mysore Centre, Sri Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Dr Gururaj Karajagi, Chairman, Academy of Creative Teaching, Sri HN Dastur, Executive Secretary and Director General, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Prof J Shashidhara Prasad, Former Vice Chancellor, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Issac Tigrett, Founder, House of Blues and Hard Rock Cafe, Father Charles Ogada, Founder, Spiritan Self Awareness Initiative, Dr Mrs Seetha Kunchitapadam, Former Director, Sahaj Marg Research and Training Institute, Prof Samuel K Samuel, Vice President, All India Association for Christian Higher Education, Professor H S Bhatia, former Scientist, DRDO, Sri BN Narasimha Murthy, Chief Mentor, Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust, Sri B Narayana Rao, Secretary, Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust.
The formal proceedings began with Vedic invocation, followed by introduction of the guests seated on the stage, as well as the esteemed panelists for the inaugural session. The theme for the day’s conference was ‘Spirituality in Education through Harmony of Religions’.
Need for spirituality in Education
With the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and divine invocation, the conference on “Spirituality in Education” commenced. Sri B N Narasimha Murthy, Chief Mentor of the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Institutions, in his introductory note, drew the audience’s attention to the lacunae in the modern educational system which, bereft of morality, was resulting in major dangers that the world faced today. The soul of education is the education of the soul, he said, emphasizing on the importance of blending spiritual and secular education in right measure. It is spiritual education alone that can liberate a society from all evils, he added. He ended his talk, briefly mentioning about the white paper that was to be released by Bhagawan on ‘Spirituality in Education based on Harmony of Religions’. The Paper would be presented to eminent luminaries in the field of education in India, and to the Government of India as well, he shared.
To read more click here
To see the Morning Session of Day Three, please click on the YouTube Link
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All the dignitaries with the White Paper - 'Spirituality in Education based on Harmony of Religions'.
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National Youth Meet 2016
DAY THREE – 27 MAY, 2016 (Afternoon and Evening Session)
Theme – Spirituality and Morality in Education on the basis of Harmony of Religions
All good things must come to an end. And so it was with the three-day cultural and spiritual extravaganza that the National Youth Meet was. While the evening session signaled the end of the blissful Meet, the abundant spiritual wisdom that was shared in these three days was enough to last one a lifetime!
Valedictory Function
The energy and excitement in the Sri Sathya Sai Premamrutham auditorium was undeniably palpable, having reached a crescendo over the last three days. The hall was reverberating with the divine sound of bhajans when Bhagawan entered the hall at half past six. The mesmerizing music of bhajans was then replaced by the pristine chants of the vedas by the girl students from Bhagawan’s educational institutions. What a fitting way to welcome the Lord on a day when the central theme was ‘Spirituality in Education’. The vedas are the very epitome of spiritual knowledge, which awaken and enlighten the minds of men and women, enabling them to hear the voice of God! The vedic chants were followed by a quick recap of the day’s proceedings, beautifully summarised by two delegates.
Bhagawan then asked for the results of the Pre-University examinations to be announced and being a proud mother, rewarded all those who had secured more than 90 per cent marks by inviting them onto the dais and personally handing over their certificates along with a token of His love. Needless to say, the Lord had perfectly timed the announcement of the results in order....
To read more click here
To see the Evening Session of Day Three, please click on the YouTube Link
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The Panel Discussion in the afternoon was centered around the theme, 'Spirituality in Education based on Harmony of Religions'.
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Bhagawan rewarded students who had secured more than 90 per cent marks in the Pre-University examinations.
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Click Here to watch the Video 'Education For Transformation', which was screened on Day Three of the National Youth Meet.
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Divine Visit to Alike - May 30 - 31 and June 01, 2016
Summer Showers in Alike – Day One – 30 May, 2016
Bhagawan’s much anticipated visit to His beloved Alike campus started with the His entourage arriving on May 30. The chosen ones to accompany Swami on this trip were the blessed devotees from Singapore.
This visit’s schedule promised to have the same action packed events, similar to the previous trip of Bhagawan. The main events planned for this visit were – inauguration of the temporary building for the girls Pre University college, and the inauguration of the new boys Pre University college building.
Day One of the visit started at 4:45pm in the evening, on the eve of the two inaugural functions, with Bhagawan visiting both the facilities to review their progress. Madiyala House, a 100 year old house which was the birth place of reverend Madiyala Narayana Bhat, the founder of Loka Seva Institutions in late 60s, was renovated last year as museum and now a temporary school building has been added to it to serve as the hostel and PU college for girls respectively. The place already exuded a festive mood, where the new temporary building for girls’s college has come up, since Swami’s benevolent announcement last year.
As Swami alighted from His car, He went to the recently renovated Madiyala house.....
To read more click here
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Divine Visit to Alike - May 30 - 31 and June 01, 2016
Summer Showers in Alike – Day Two – 31 May, 2016
Day two was eventful, with the inauguration of the new girls Pre University College and the inauguration of the new boys college building.
The day started at around 9:15am when the convoy, with Bhagawan’s car and those of the visiting guests from Singapore snaked through the winding roads from the main campus at Alike to Madiyala, where the historic Madiyala House had been converted into the residential quarters for the staff and students of the new girls College. A newly constructed extension to the house will serve as the College itself temporarily, until the new campus is ready.
As the convoy made its way to Madiyala, remnants of the heavy rains from the previous day were evident, with some parts of the road inundated with mud. The Madiyala House wore a festive look with floral decorations which adorned the traditional features of the house. The newly appointed staff and the first batch of students were eagerly waiting for the Lord to bless their new home! Bhagawan asked Sri Gangadhar Bhat, Chairman of the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust, Alike to cut the ribbon and officially inaugurate the college. This was followed by the unveiling of the plaque by Devaki Akka, sister of Late Madiyal Narayan Bhat. Swami and the guests were then escorted to each and every room of the new building.
To read more click here
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A view of the grand edifice, a gift from Bhagawan to His students!
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Cutting of the ceremonial ribbon by Sri Gangadhar Bhat, Chairman of Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust, Alike in the Divine Presence.
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A medley of songs were offered at the Lotus Feet of Bhagawan by the brass band of Alike, which included a few beautiful Bhajans.
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