With the Divine Grace of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences (SSSIHMS), Prasanthigram, will celebrate its 33rd anniversary on November 22, 2024. SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, continued to maintain high standards of patient care by providing completely free treatment to patients irrespective of caste, creed, race, religion, ethnicity, and nationality. The completely free treatment includes diagnosis, surgery, interventions, medicines, and diet.

During the past 34 years, 47,69,236 outpatient consultations took place, and 3,62,027 surgeries and procedures were performed. A total of 1,119,282 diagnostic tests were performed for patients.

During the past year, that is, 2025–2026, 1,57,087 patient consultations were carried out, and 11,841 surgeries and procedures were performed by the departments of CTVS, Cardiology, Urology, Plastic Surgery, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, and Gastroenterology put together.

In the year 2025–26, SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, saved patients a total of Rs. 69,58,69,202 ($7,305,460). This figure swells to Rs. 12,47,38,20,642 ($130,954,209) when calculated from inception.

With the Divine Blessings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, yet another milestone in selfless healthcare was marked at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram, with the commissioning of advanced medical equipment on Sunday.

The newly inaugurated equipment includes six state-of-the-art Servo–C ventilators and three FX8 electrosurgical units, collectively valued at approximately ₹1 crore. While the ventilators provide critical life support to patients in need, the electrosurgical units enhance surgical precision in operation theatres by using controlled electrical energy for cutting and coagulation of tissues. This generous initiative has been supported by the Life Insurance Corporation of India Golden Jubilee Foundation, reflecting a meaningful collaboration in the service of humanity.

The equipment was traditionally inaugurated by Mr RJ Rathnakar, Managing Trustee of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, in the esteemed presence of Mr Puneet Kumar, Zonal Manager of LIC’s South Central Zone, along with senior functionaries from both organisations.

Mr Rathnakar highlighted that this commissioning represents yet another step in the hospital’s continuous journey of embracing cutting-edge medical technology. He reaffirmed that in Bhagawan’s hospitals, treatment remains not only completely free of cost but also of the highest global standards—made possible through the exceptional expertise of doctors and surgeons, complemented by constant upgradation of infrastructure and equipment. He reiterated the unwavering commitment of SSSCT towards sustaining and enhancing these facilities in alignment with Bhagawan’s vision.

In a beautiful and symbolic moment during the interaction, Mr Rathnakar shared that Bhagawan had initiated this noble medical mission as early as 1956. Responding to this, Mr Puneet Kumar noted with delight that Life Insurance Corporation of India was also established in the same year.

With the divine blessings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, a state-of-the-art Catheterisation Laboratory was inaugurated at the Cardiology Department of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram, this evening. This is the second advanced Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory being commissioned within a span of around two years at the hospital.

 The Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory, commonly referred to as a Cath Lab, is a specialised facility used to provide minimally invasive advanced cardiac procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

 The new Cath Lab, Shimadzu Trinias C-12, worth Rs. 3.78 crores, was commissioned by the Managing Trustee of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Mr RJ Rathnakar, in the presence of the Director of SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, Dr Gurumurthy, along with Ms Anjanadevi from the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council, Zone 1 - USA, and other senior staff members of the hospital.

 The Shimadzu Trinias C12 Cath Lab is an advanced ceiling-mounted digital angiography system designed for interventional cardiology, combining high-quality imaging with reduced radiation exposure. Powered by AI-based image processing (SCORE Opera), it delivers clear visualisation of fine blood vessels while minimising noise. Its slim, flexible C-arm design allows smooth isocentric rotation and improved patient access, thereby enhancing workflow efficiency. Overall, the Trinias C12 stands out for its balance between patient safety, operator convenience, and clinical precision.

 Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rathnakar underlined Bhagawan’s philosophy of providing high-end patient care totally free of charge to all, irrespective of caste, creed, race, religion, or nationality. “To date, the Cardiology department has performed around 16 lakh (1.6 million) patient consultations. One can imagine how many lives just the cardiology department has touched. This new advanced system, commissioned today, will make the hands of our doctors and surgeons even stronger so that they can deliver even better patient care,” he said.

 The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust continues to strive to uphold Bhagawan’s ideals by steadfastly following His dictum in all its service initiatives.

With the divine blessings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, an advanced Orthotic Centre, Dry Bone & Simulation Lab, Centre for Tissue Banking and Orthobiologics, and C-Arm & a mobile X-Ray machine were inaugurated at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram, this Thursday.

The new facilities were inaugurated by Mr RJ Rathnakar (Managing Trustee, SSSCT) in the presence of Dr Gurumurthy (Director, SSSIHMS - PG), Prof  B Raghavendra Prasad (Vice Chancellor, SSSIHL), Dr K Narasimhan (Director, SSSGH), Dr Anil Kumar Mulpur (Joint Director, SSSIHMS - PG), Dr Srikanth Khanna (Registrar, SSSIHL), Dr Prakash Khanchandani (Head of Department of Orthopaedics) and other senior staff members of the hospital.

The Sri Sathya Sai Centre for Orthotics and Rehabilitation is a dedicated facility for designing and fabricating customised orthotic devices for paediatric and adult patients. Equipped with advanced technology including a 3D scanner, the centre will cater to around 100 patients every month, providing these devices completely free of cost.

The Sri Sathya Sai Dry Bone and Simulation Lab — The Bone School features four training stations, including an arthroscopy simulator, trauma stations and a microsurgery station, enabling Orthopaedic residents and fellows to gain hands-on training in a controlled environment.

The newly established Sri Sathya Sai Centre for Tissue Banking and Orthobiologics will offer advanced solutions including bone allografts, amniotic membrane applications and orthobiologic treatments such as PRP and PRF, completely free of cost. The centre will form part of the larger Sri Sathya Sai Bio-bank and Research Hub initiative.

Also inaugurated were a C-Arm machine for real-time imaging during surgical procedures and a mobile X-Ray system for bedside radiography, particularly useful in ICUs, emergency areas and wards.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rathnakar said the new centres and medical systems would significantly strengthen the hospital’s ability to provide comprehensive, advanced and compassionate care. He highlighted the Tissue Banking and Orthobiologics Centre as a major step forward in offering high-end healthcare free of charge. At the same time, the Bone School would provide world-class training for Orthopaedic professionals.

The inauguration, he added, reaffirms the sacred commitment to Bhagawan’s message of ‘Love All, Serve All’, with every life touched and healed at SSSIHMS carrying forward His noble healthcare mission.

With the divine blessings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences (SSSIHMS), Prasanthigram, in association with the Urological Society of India (USI), inaugurated the two-day SSSIHMS–USI CARES National Urological Surgical Workshop this morning. This marks the second USI CARES initiative hosted in Puttaparthi this year, following the earlier program held on February 20–21, 2026.

Bringing together over 15 eminent urological faculty members from across the country, the workshop will feature approximately 70 surgeries across eight operation theatres. The operative program encompasses a wide spectrum of advanced procedures, including male and female reconstructive surgeries, hypospadias correction, female sling surgery, stone management procedures such as PCNL and RIRS, TURP, HoLEP, ThuLEP, bipolar procedures, laparoscopic and robotic reconstructive surgeries, and cancer surgeries such as radical cystectomy and nephrectomy.

 Welcoming the distinguished guests, Dr Gurumurthy, Director, SSSIHMS, reflected on the department's legacy and recalled the contributions of Prof. Dr Bhatt, regarded as the father of urology, to establishing and developing the department.

Dr Keshavmurthy R, President of the Urological Society of India and the first postgraduate trainee of the Urology Department at SSSIHMS, fondly recalled his formative years at the institution and the values imbibed through service. Emphasising that while medical treatment and equipment are valuable, the values nurtured at SSSIHMS are immeasurable, he highlighted the institution's distinctive ethos of compassionate and selfless healthcare.

Dr Anil Kumar Mulpur, Joint Director, SSSIHMS, encouraged the visiting specialists to continue associating with the institution through knowledge transfer, skill-sharing and the contribution of their expertise to its ongoing mission of service.

 Addressing the gathering, Mr RJ Rathnakar, Managing Trustee, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, highlighted Bhagawan's enduring vision of providing quality medical care entirely free of cost, a mission that began with the establishment of the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital in 1956. He spoke of the Sri Sathya Sai Mobile Hospital and its outreach to rural communities, bringing essential healthcare facilities to people's doorsteps and contributing to significant improvements in rural health and the dignity of life over the decades.

 Reaffirming the uncompromising standards established by Bhagawan, he emphasised that His institutions have never compromised on the quality of medical care provided. The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust continues to strive relentlessly to uphold these standards to this day, ensuring that every patient receives the finest medical care, facilities and expertise entirely free of cost.

I came for Seva on several occasions, and on two occasions, I even had the opportunity to perform Seva at Swami’s Residence. There was no sudden event through which Swami transformed me; rather, it was a gradual process. When I look back, I feel Swami removed layer after layer of maya that had settled over this ancient bond between Swami and me, so that I could see the blazing truth standing right in front of me. Swami was my mother, my father, my Guru, and my everything. In the unfathomable depths of my heart, there was nobody apart from Swami; it seemed so natural. Looking back, I wonder why this was so difficult for me to see that in first place. Let me mention this here: Swami’s bond with us is not limited to this birth; it extends across many, many births. Only Swami knows, and we do not. It is our great good fortune that He decides to bring us into His fold.

During my visits to Puttaparthi, I would pass by the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Puttaparthi, many times, but never felt that I could ever enter the hospital. I was always told that renowned doctors worked there. During one of my Seva visits, I came to know that a doctor known to me, who was also part of the Sai Organisation in Himachal Pradesh, had joined SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, as a trainee. I was surprised. His name was Dr. Rajan Anand, and he was from Kangra, while I was from Hamirpur. He had joined SSSIHMS, Puttaparthi, as a Diplomate of National Board (DNB) trainee for a three-year course in 2005. Then the thought came to my mind: Why not give it a try myself? I cleared the examination and took up the course in Ophthalmology at SSSIHMS, Puttaparthi. That is how I joined the Department of Ophthalmology as a trainee in February 2006. After completing my course, I went elsewhere for a fellowship and then re-joined the department. Later, I became the Head of the Department.

There are many incidents that I can narrate, but one remains etched in my mind. We performed cataract surgery on a patient at our hospital. After the surgery, the patient spoke to me and said that throughout the procedure, he had seen Swami performing the surgery. “It was not you; it was Swami who was performing the surgery. In your place, it was Swami,” he said. I was thrilled. In fact, on several occasions, our Sevadals have seen Swami walking through the corridors at night. There are many instances like this.

A 17-year-old boy was admitted to Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences (SSSIHMS), Prasanthigram, with severe aortic regurgitation, a condition in which the aortic valve in the heart does not close properly, allowing blood to flow backwards into the heart. What made the case challenging was that the patient had previously undergone two heart surgeries at another hospital for the same condition,  but the surgeries were not successful. 

Considering the severity of the situation, the patient was taken up for surgery at the Cardio Thoracic Vascular Surgery Department of SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram.

 Dr. Anil Kumar Mulpur, the Head of Department of CTVS and the Joint Director of SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, said, “Performing heart surgery for the third time is particularly challenging, as previous operations can lead to the formation of scar tissue and adhesions around the heart. These tissues make it difficult to reach the heart safely and increase the risk of bleeding and injury to important structures during surgery. The procedure, therefore, required careful planning and surgical expertise. The surgery was successful, and the patient had an uneventful recovery and can now go back to his normal life.” As is the case with all treatments at SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, this treatment was also provided totally free of charge.