PHOTOS - UPDATE: Ratan Tata visits Prasanthi Nilayam

[Guest guest]

Ratan Tata visits Prasanthi Nilayam - 3-4 Dec 2009

 

 

 

 

Photo Slides

Posted at 14:35:30 Hrs. IST on 05 Dec 2009 -The

man whose business forays with a firm footing on ethics and righteous

values made him a legendary figure of international fame, Ratan Tata,

made a special entry in Prasanthi Nilayam, the Abode of Peace, on 3rd

Dec seeking Bhagawan’s blessings. This is the second visit of Mr. Ratan

Tata to Bhagawan, in less than two months. Earlier, during Bhagawan’s

recent visit to Mumbai, he was blessed with an audience for forty-five

minutes, in Dharmakshetra complex. .

 

Tata’s CredentialsMr.

Ratan N Tata, who inherited the Tata legacy from legendary JRD Tata,

has been chairman of Tata Sons, the Tata promoter company, since 1991,

when JRD stepped down after fifty years at the helm. He is also

chairman of other Tata companies, including Tata Motors, Tata Steel,

Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Power, Tata Tea, Tata Chemicals, Indian

Hotels and Tata Teleservices. The Government of India honoured

Mr Ratan Tata with its second highest civilian award, the Padma

Vibhushan, in 2008. Earlier, in 2000, he had been awarded the Padma

Bhushan. He has also been conferred an honorary doctorate in business

administration by the Ohio State University, an honorary doctorate in

technology by the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, an honorary

doctorate in science by the University of Warwick, and an honorary

fellowship by the London School of Economics.Mr. Ratan Tata

serves in senior capacities in various organisations in India and he is

a member of the Prime Minister's Council on Trade and Industry.In 2009 he was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the British Empire. …and the list goes…

Extending

a warm welcome to this special guest of honour, arrangements had been

made to give the guest a quick tour to various institutions in the

Ashram, namely, the Super Speciality Hosptal, The University

Administrative Block, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus, Indoor Stadium and

Chaitanya Jyothi Museum, explaining him in detail of the Mission set in

motion by Bhagawan.Arrived in his private aircraft along with

his colleague and close confidant Mr. R.K. Krishna Kumar, Vice

Chairman, India Group of Hotels and a member in the Board of Directors

for Tata Sons, accompanied by his Private Secretary, Mr. Ratan Tata

straight away drove down to the Super Speciality Hospital at

Prasanthigram to a warm welcome by Director Dr. Safaya, Secretary of

Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Mr. K. Chakravarthi, IAS (Retd), former

Vice Chancellors of Sri Sathya Sai University, Prof. G. Venkataraman

and Sri S.V. Giri, IAS (Retd) and other members of staff. Spending

almost forty-five minutes, the dignitary was taken for a walk-thru' to

various departments, detailing multifarious features of the

state-of-the-art hospital run completely free of cost. Mr. Ratan Tata

showed curious interest in knowing intricate details of various

functional wings of the holistic institution.

 

In

the afternoon Mr. Tata visited the University Administrative Block

where he was received by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Vishwanath Pandit,

Former Vice Chancellors, Prof. G.Venkataraman and Sri SV Giri, Secy,

Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Mr. K.Chakravarthi, Registrar, Dr. Naren

Ramji, Controller of Examinations, Sri Srirangarajan along with faculty

members from various departments. The dignified guest had a group

discussion with the University team about the functioning and features

of the University.His next visit was to the Prasanthi Nilayam

Campus of the University wherein Prof. U.S.Rao, Principal briefed the

distinguished guest of various academic features, namely, of the

various courses, extra-curricular activities, NAAC accreditation, UGC

team visit etc. A brief video presentation was also organized featuring

the credentials of the holy institution. This was followed by an

interactive session with the guest attended by faculty members of the

University.Premaarpitham, a drama in hounor of the Chief GuestIn

the evening the stage was set in the University Auditorium for a

special drama presentation in honour of the dignitary. Bhagawan, upon

coming out at 4:30 straight away drove down to the packed auditorium

that had been awaiting His arrival.

The

Drama entitled, Premaarpitham, as titled by Bhagawan is the story of a

young man caught in a dilemma of choosing his future between going

abroad and serving the motherland. The play starts with a

young man expressing his joy to his grandfather on being placed in a

top university abroad with a complete scholarship. Even as his

grandfather congratulates him, he adds that he has also got an offer to

join a good company afterwards. His grandfather expresses his

disappointment with the decision and expresses his wish that he serve

Bharath. The protagonist is now in a dilemma and wishes to see the

heaven of freedom which Rabindranth Tagore sings about in his epic poem.Guiding

him from the dilemma, the spirit of Bharath personifies into a radiant

being and tells him about the various young children of the glorious

nation who have earned good name unto her. He then narrates instances

from the lives of Swami Vivekananda, Yudhishtira, Adi Sankaracharya and

the Gopikas of Vrindavan who epitomised the great values of Satya,

Dharma, Shanti and Prema. The spirit of Bharat finally ascertains that

Educare is in essence the Love of God and the Love for God.Love in Thought is TruthLove in Action is Right-ConductLove in Understanding is PeaceAfter

the forty-five minute drama, Bhagawan had a fabulous on-stage

interactive session with the drama crew, along with the Chief Guest

that lasted for forty minutes. Pepping the spirits up with words of

appreciation, often getting into minute details, talking individually,

the session was a heavenly gift for the entire crew who had been asked

to put up a drama at the shortest possible notice, within two days.

Bhagawan interacted with each and every member of the crew, introducing

everyone to the Chief Guest with details of the course each one has

undertaken. Bhagawan gave away presentations to all the participating

members. He even introduced the singers for the drama presentation and

asked the lead singer to sing a special song, who sang, the famous

Qawali, Mohabbat ki kami dil mein agar ehsaas hoto hai..."

 

Apart

from the dignified guests, the session was also attended by Dr. Vijay

Kelkar, Chairman of the Finance Commission of India, who was earlier

Advisor to the Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India.In the run

upto the drama, Bhagawan had been encouraging and infusing confidence

in the crew to come up with the best of their performance in short

notice. Giving a shot in their arm, Bhagawan visited the institute

auditorium on the 1st evening spending an hour watching a final dress

rehearsal, guiding with precision. The title, Premaarpitham was done by

Bhagawan Himself.Back in the Mandir, the dignitaries had a

fifteen minutes private session with Bhagawan in the bhajan hall before

Arathi was offered.

Mr.

Tata who showed curious interest in the Sri Sathya Sai Water Project

Scheme was briefed on the same by Radio Sai Team led by Prof. G.

Venkataraman, in the Shanti Bhavan Guest house later in the evening.Final

two destinations for the honourable guest were the state-of-the-art

Indoor Stadium followed by Chaitanya Jyothi Museum before the guest was

brought back to Mandir for morning darshan, on 4th December. Bhagawan

blessed Mr. Tata and his secretary with an audience lasted for forty

minutes, followed by a brief interview to Mr. Krishna Kumar. He even

materialized a chain for Mr. Venkat, a former student of Sri Sathya Sai

University, who is serving as Executive Secretary to Mr. Ratan Tata.The

morning session on the 4th Dec was also attended by the tiny tots from

the Primary School, a special gesture, in honour of the dignified guest.The

man who is well known for his exploits, in saving the Tata empire from

a decline and fall, through his business acumen coupled with vision for

future, and is credited with converting the Tata group into a high-tech

empire fit for the 21st century, spent a whole day in the “Valley of

Peace†taking back greater lessons with refreshing experiences of

service to mankind of highest order, as exemplified by Bhagawan Sri

Sathya Sai Baba! Source: sssbpt.org - web-layout & design .com