Sathya Sai Baba dead..Our beloved god is no more!!!!

Sathya Sai Baba who was in critical condition for last 28 days passed away on April 24, 2011 at 7.40 am. He was admitted in a super-specialty hospital at Prashantigram at Puttaparthi which he himself had created for the common people.  After being on ventilator support for many days with all his vital parameters failing, Sai Baba died of cardio-respiratory failure. More


7.30 pm: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said she was greatly pained over the death of Sathya Sai Baba.

"The news of the death of Sai Baba of Puttaparthi has greatly pained me. He was a spiritual person in whom lakhs of people had faith. In his lifetime, he inspired the people of this country and those abroad towards spiritualism and religion," she said. More

7.00 pm:Thousands of devotees, from commoners to VIPs and celebrities, are making their way to the pilgrim town for a last glimpse of Sai Baba, whose body will be kept at Sai Kulwant Hall in Puttaparthi on Monday and Tuesdayof Prashanti Nilayam, the ashram he founded.

6.35 pm: Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai expressed deep shock and sorrow over the demise of prominent religious leader Sri Satya Sai Baba.

In his condolence message, Sahai said: "Sai Baba was one of the great saints of India who dedicated his entire life to philanthropy."

"Baba's passing away is a irreparable loss to the country. Shri Sahai said Baba will be remembered for his nobel deeds. May god give strength to million of his followers to face this tragedy," he added. More

6.00 pm: Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah Sunday condoled the death of spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba, describing it as a 'grave loss' to his devotees the world over.

5.35 pm: Gripped by grief, tearful devotees chanted prayers at ''Brindavan'', Sathya Sai Baba's ashram at Whitefield on the outskirts of the Bangalore.
In some parts of the city, devotees took out a procession carrying portraits of Sai Baba and chanted slogans like "Baba is not with us physically. But he remains with us forever".
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Governor H R Bhardwaj condoled Sai Baba's death.Read more
5.00 pm: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed profound grief at the death of Sri Sathya Sai Baba today. In his condolence message, Kumar said Sai Baba''s death was an irreparable loss to the society and his sermons will continue to guide and inspire people. More
4.30 pm: Many of the millions of followers of Sathya Sai Baba, who passed away Sunday morning at Puttaparthi, believe he will be reborn as 'Prema Sai' in Mandya, Karnataka. Read more

4.00 pm:"The light of love, compassion and service to humanity that lit from Puttaparthi is extinguished. He gave love to those who needed, gave education to those denied, provided health services to those who could not afford above all provided water to those who were thirsty," said Krishna in his condolence message. "He was a Yuga Purush, who inspired millions in the country and outside. He interpreted spirituality in terms of love and service, secular approach to issues was his hall mark. He provoked us to act affirmatively in life. Let us continue to walk his path," he added. More
3.30 pm: A string of Bollywood personalities have expressed grief over the death of Satya Sai Baba who breathed his last today morning following prolonged illness. More on Yahoo! India News
3.00 pm: Orissa Governor M C Bhandare and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today expressed grief over the death of Sathya Sai Baba saying his message of love and compassion guided millions worldwide. More
2.30 pm: Sachin Tendulkar, who skipped his birthday celebrations in the wake of Sathya Sai Baba's death, decided to go ahead with playing the Mumbai Indians IPL match against Deccan Chargers. More

2.00 pm: Andhra Pradesh CM declares 4 days state mourning. The burial will take place on Wednesday. Baba’s funeral will be conducted with full state honours.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba passes awayReports said on Sunday that Sri Sathya Sai Baba has passed away, hours after his condition deteriorated further and his organs stopped responding to treatment.Reports said Sai Baba breathed last ...

1.25 pm: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condoled the death of Sathya Sai Baba, saying he was an inspiration to people of all faiths. Vice President Hamid Ansari and Bharatiya Janata Party leader LK Advani also expressed sorrow at the passing away of the spiritual guru.

'I express my sincere condolences to the millions of his followers, disciples and well wishers,' Manmohan Singh said in his condolence message.

LK Advani said, "I offer a tearful homage to his great soul. I would like to go for the anthyesthi kriya (last rites). I first came in contact with him only after my incarceration during 1975-77 emergency in Bangalore jail. And after that I have been meeting him quite frequently...and it has always been inspirational for me to meet him to get his guidance". More on this story 
1.10 pm: Sathya Sai Baba: A village boy who became demi god

Sathya Sai Baba was seen as a reincarnation of god by millions, having preached an eclectic blend of Hindu religion since the time he claimed to be an 'avatar' at a young age of 14.

Born Sathyanarayana Raju Nov 23, 1926 in Puttaparthi, his devotees claimed he started singing Sanskrit verses, of which he had no knowledge, one day in March 1940 after being apparently stung by a scorpion.

Within two months, the teenager claimed to be a reincarnation of the more famous Shirdi Sai Baba, who had reportedly stated before his death in 1918 that he would reappear in the then Madras Presidency eight years later. More

12.40 pm: "I am deeply grieved to learn about the passing away of Sri Sathya Sai. Baba's message of love should be our guiding light in this trying hour. Baba's words and actions have lit the lamp of love in the hearts of devotees," said Vice President Ansari. More on Yahoo! India News

12.30 pm: Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan expressing deep shock over the demise of prominent religious leader Sri Sathya Sai Baba said that he was a living god and the strength of people in and around the world. Read more

12.20 pm: Karnataka State Transport Corporation said it would run special buses to Puttaparthi to enable devotees from the state to pay their last respects to Sai Baba who passed away this morning.
12.10 pm: Iconic Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was a sad man on his 38th birthday today as his spiritual guru Satya Sai Baba passed away this morning. So no celebrations
12.05 pm: From ordinary believers to the President of India, his clout spread far and wide but controversy also followed Puttaparthi Satya Sai Baba all along. But still no godmen could match Satya Sai Baba's name and fame.Read more

11.41 am: Last rites is scheduled for Tuesday.

11.38 am: On Times now, one of Baba's doctor says medically everything was done to save Baba.

11.27 am: Here is BBC's obituary  of Sathya Sai Baba's death.
11.23 am: Devotees can pay their final respects after 6pm today.

11.10 am: BJP leader LK advani offers his condolences. Says Baba had shown him the way several times.
10.45 am:  Security has been heightened in Puttaparthi as many VVIPs are expected to arrive in the next two days.

10.21 am: Devotees from around the world have  been pouring in over the past week. Special arrangements are being made to accommodate thousands more devotees in the town.

10.15am: The AP chief minister and Governor on his way to Puttaparthi.

9.00 am:Spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba dies this morning around 7:40am. His body will be shifted to his ashram. Sai Baba's body will lie in state for two days.

A complete shut down has been called for at Puttaparthi.

Sai Baba was hospitalised on March 28. He died of cardiac and respiratory failure. He was 85.

Fight against corruption: Anna Hazare's letter to PM!!!!

Dear Dr. Singh,

I have started my indefinite fast at Jantar mantar. I had invited you also to fast and pray for a corruption free India on 5th April. Though I did not receive any reply from you, I am hopeful that you must have done that.

I am pained to read and hear about government's reaction to my fast. I consider it my duty to clarify the points raised on behalf of Congress party and the government by their spokespersons, as they appear in media:

1. It is being alleged that I am being instigated by some people to sit on this fast. Dear Manmohan Singh ji, this is an insult to my sense of wisdom and intelligence. I am not a kid that I could be "instigated" into going on an indefinite fast. I am a fiercely independent person. I take advice from many friends and critics, but do what my conscience directs me to do. It is my experience that when cornered, governments resort to such malicious slandering. I am pained that the government, rather than addressing the issue of corruption, is trying to allege conspiracies, when there are none.

2. It is being said that I have shown impatience. Dear Prime Minister, so far, every government has shown complete insensitivity and lack of political commitment to tackling corruption. 62 years after independence, we still do not have independent and effective anticorruption systems. Very weak versions of Lokpal Bill were presented in Parliament eight times in last 42 years. Even these weak versions were not passed by Parliament. This means, left to themselves, the politicians and bureaucrats will never pass any law which subjects them to any kind of objective scrutiny. At a time, when the country has witnessed scams of unprecedented scale, the impatience of the entire country is justified. And we call upon you, not to look for precedents, but show courage to take unprecedented steps.

3. It is being said that I have shown impatience when the government has "initiated" the process. I would urge you to tell me - exactly what processes are underway?
a. You say that your Group of Ministers are drafting the anticorruption law. Many of the members of this Group of Ministers have such a shady past that if effective anticorruption systems had been in place, some of them would have been behind bars. Do you want us to have faith in a process in which some of the most corrupt people of this country should draft the anticorruption law?
b. NAC subcommittee has discussed Jan Lokpal Bill. But what does that actually mean? Will the government accept the recommendations of NAC subcommittee? So far, UPA II has shown complete contempt for even the most innocuous issues raised by NAC.
c. I and many other friends from India Against Corruption movement wrote several letters to you after 1st December. I also sent you a copy of Jan Lokpal Bill on 1st December. We did not get any response. It is only when I wrote to you that I will sit on an indefinite fast, we were promptly invited for discussions on 7th March. I wonder whether the government responds only to threats of indefinite fast. Before that, representatives of India Against Corruption had been meeting various Ministers seeking their support for the Jan Lokpal Bill. They met Mr Moily also and personally handed over copy of Jan Lokpal to him. A few hours before our meeting with you, we received a phone call from Mr Moily's office that the copy of Jan Lokpal Bill had been misplaced by his office and they wanted another copy. This is the seriousness with which the government has dealt with Jan Lokpal Bill.
d. Dear Dr Manmohan Singh ji, if you were in my place, would you have any faith in the aforesaid processes? Kindly let me know if there are any other processes underway. If you still feel that I am impatient, I am happy that I am because the whole nation is feeling impatient at the lack of credible efforts from your government against corruption.

 4. What are we asking for? We are not saying that you should accept the Bill drafted by us. But kindly create a credible platform for discussions - a joint committee with at least half members from civil society suggested by us. Your spokespersons are misleading the nation when they say that there is no precedent for setting up a joint committee. At least seven laws in Maharashtra were drafted by similar joint committees and presented in Maharashtra Assembly. Maharashtra RTI Act, one of the best laws of those times, was drafted by a joint committee. Even at the centre, when 25,000 tribals came to Delhi two years ago, your government set up a joint committee on land issues within 48 hours. You yourself are the Chairperson of that committee.
This means that the government is willing to set up joint committees on all other issues, but not on corruption. Why?

5. It is being said that the government wants to talk to us and we are not talking to them. This is utterly false. Tell me a single meeting when you called us and we did not come. We strongly believe in dialogue and engagement. Kindly do not mislead the country by saying that we are shunning dialogue.

We request you to take some credible steps at stemming corruption. Kindly stop finding faults and suspecting conspiracies in our movement. There are none. Even if there were, it does not absolve you of your responsibilities to stop corruption.

With warm regards,

K B Hazare....

10 things to know about Anna Hazare and Lok Pal Bill !!!!

1. Who is Anna Hazare?

An ex-army man. Fought 1965 Indo-Pak War

2. What's so special about him?

He built a village Ralegaon Siddhi in Ahamad Nagar district, Maharashtra

3. So what?

This village is a self-sustained model village. Energy is produced in the village itself from solar power, biofuel and wind mills.

In 1975, it used to be a poverty clad village. Now it is one of the richest village in India. It has become a model for self-sustained, eco-friendly & harmonic village. 

4. Ok,...?

This guy, Anna Hazare was awarded Padma Bhushan and is a known figure for his social activities.

5. Really, what is he fighting for?

He is supporting a cause, the amendment of a law to curb corruption in India.

6. How that can be possible?

He is advocating for a Bil, The Lok Pal Bill (The Citizen Ombudsman Bil! l), that will form an autonomous authority who will make politicians (ministers), beurocrats (IAS/IPS) accountable for their deeds.

7. It's an entirely new thing right..?

In 1972, the bill was proposed by then Law minister Mr. Shanti Bhushan. Since then it has been neglected by the politicians and some are trying to change the bill to suit thier theft (corruption).

8. Oh.. He is going on a hunger strike for that whole thing of passing a Bill ! How can that be possible in such a short span of time?

The first thing he is asking for is: the government should come forward and announce that the bill is going to be passed.

Next, they make a joint committee to DRAFT the LOK PAL BILL. 50% goverment participation and 50% public participation. Because you cant trust the government entirely for making such a bill which does not suit them.

9. Fine, What will happen when this bill is passed?

A LokPal will be appointed at the centre. He will have an autonomous charge, say like the Election Commission of India. In each and every state, Lokayukta will be appointed. The job is to bring all alleged party to trial in case of corruptions within 1 year. Within 2 years, the guilty will be punished. Not like, Bofors scam or Bhopal Gas Tragedy case, that has been going for last 25 years without any result.

 10. ! Is he alone? Whoelse is there in the fight with Anna Hazare?

Baba Ramdev, Ex. IPS Kiran Bedi, Social Activist Swami Agnivesh, RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal and many more.

  Ok, got it. What we can do?

o   At least we can spread the message. How?

o   Putting status message, links, video, changing profile pics.

o   Give a missed call to 022-61550789 (it will disconnect by itself after 1 or 2 call) by doing this your mobile number will be registered in that number and you will receive 

§  SMS from  Sri Anna Hazare what next can be done.

o   At least we can support Anna Hazare and the cause for uprooting corruption from India. 

o   At least! we can hope that his Hunger Strike does not go in vain.

o   At least we can pray for his good health.

o   Kindly forward it to as many people as you can to create an awareness

Unite India against Corruption