Festival of Joy and All India Conference of Bal Vikas Gurus, October 22 – 28, 2005

As part of the 80^th Birthday celebrations of Baba, three independent programmes organised by the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation, India, were held on different days at Prasanthi Nilayam. The programme entitled “Festival of Joy” was held between 22^nd and 24^th of October 2005. 3,000 Bal Vikas students from all over India participated in this programme. Baba lit the lamp on 22^nd morning and inaugurated the programme. Sri V. Srinivasan, All India President, Sri Sathya Sai Organisation, gave the introductory speech. A few Bal Vikas students were given an opportunity to speak in the Divine Presence. Baba then blessed the students with His Message. More than 300 children from 18 states of India offered Baba a grand musical presentation in Sai Kulwant Hall that afternoon. The Bal Vikas students from Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Kerala, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh presented an educative programme about the tenets, rituals and customs of five major religions of the world. This presentation was made in Sai Kulwant Hall after Baba’s Darshan at 8.25 am, on 23^rd morning. The students of Sri Sathya Sai Primary School, Prasanthi Nilayam, presented a musical drama entitled “Sai Prema Dhara” in Sai Kulwant Hall that evening. Baba had photographs taken with the children. The Bal Vikas students from West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Maharashtra offered Baba heritage sports and games of rural India on 24^th morning. The children from Tamil Nadu presented a dance drama depicting the life stories of “Sant Tulsidas” and “Sant Kanakadas” that evening.

Baba lit the lamps in Sai Kulwant Hall amidst Vedic chants and inaugurated the All India Conference of Bal Vikas Gurus at 8.00 am on 25^th morning. Smt. Sarla Shah, All India Educational Coordinator, and Sri Nimish Pandya, Member, Sri Sathya Sai Trust, Maharashtra, addressed the delegates. Baba then blessed the delegates with His Inaugural Address. Baba blessed the Plenary Sessions of the Conference held in the Poornachandra Auditorium with His Presence that same day. The Valedictory Session of the Conference was held in Sai Kulwant Hall on 26^th afternoon. Dr. Usha Nair, Bal Vikas Guru; Smt. Nimi Kanwar, All India Joint Educational Coordinator; Sri A. V. Gokak, Vice Chancellor, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning; and Smt. Jayasree Bajaj, addressed the delegates. Baba materialised a gold chain and a ring for Smt. Bajaj. The conference concluded with Baba’s Discourse.

Baba lit the lamps in Sai Kulwant Hall and inaugurated the First National Conference of former Bal Vikas students, at 9.25 am on 28^th morning. Sri V. Srinivasan gave the introductory speech. Baba blessed three speakers to address the delegates. The programme that afternoon began with Baba’s Darshan at 3.55 pm in Sai Kulwant Hall. Sri Nimish Pandya presented the recommendations of the Conference. Baba blessed the delegates with His Message. The Conference concluded with Mangala Aarati.