Kalpana Chowla had reportedly delivered her last words from space: “Now I feel that I am not from earth alone, I belong to the entire Solar System.“ To reach out to this vision of universal citizenship, she had to undertake an inter-stellar journey. But, Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba envisaged such a vision, years ago, for his students standing at the very spot on earth, where they are among fellow human beings, evolving his philosophy of education with philanthropy.

Compassion has never been part of education except in Bhagawan’s educational institution, where it is embedded as deeply as Mathematics, Science or any other subject. Compassion is the common denominator between God and man. Man becomes godly only when he identifies himself with the divine in all things in the creation. The God on Earth now decided to teach at least His students the first alphabets of real education. Now, for more than a decade, Grama Seva (serving in the villages) has been an inalienable feature of Sathya Sai syllabus for true education. Hridaya (Heart) has to be the seat of Daya (compassion).The new syllabus for higher education of Bhagawan’s students has caught the attention of the thinking world, which is growing with increased awareness that the most educated class is a threat to the world itself. Grama seva makes you aware that out there, there is a large humanity, which is basically an extension of yourself. Education is essentially a process of self-extension. It has, therefore, turned out to be a process of self-realisation.

Sri Sathya Sai Vidyapeeth, sprawls into an area of 90 acres of naturally beautiful hillock called “Sri Sailam”, which is blessed with a panoramic backdrop bounded by Arabian Sea on the three sides. This property at Katalur, Calicut District was gifted to Swamy by Smt. Rohini Prabhu(wife of the late K.B.Prabhu) and her children. Students from all over India study in this institution. Bhagawan Baba laid the foundation stone for the school on 30 May, 1976 and inaugurated the campus. It started functioning on 16th August 1976 with 11 students in standard 1. To begin with, it was a residential school. The administration of the Vidyapeeth is managed by Sri Sathya Sai Trust Kerala.

Swami says ‘‘Awareness is life”. The entire purpose of education is to generate this awareness in the pupils. Without it, men and women become centered in themselves and live only for themselves. Bhagawan teaches us that true realization is ‘the seeing of all in all you see’. If you cannot see God in your fellowman, how can you see Him in a stone idol?, he asks. Education is ‘expansion of love’, not its contraction. Swami has given us a new recipe of education, and has showed us how to cook it.

Our interest has always been in the awakening of the student’s self with the power of the divine within. Sri Sathya Sai Vidyapeeth, Sri Sailam, on completion of more than 38 illuminating years, can proudly claim to have played a pivotal role in transforming young students and creating a community of distinguished individuals.