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 Credentials
Mr. 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 Guest
In 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 Truth
Love in Action is Right-Conduct
Love in Understanding is Peace
After 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!
