By His Grace, I was born in a God loving, spiritually inclined family. My introduction to Swami started with me attending Sri Sathya Sai Balvikas classes as a child. My parents would persuade and, my sister would literally drag, a reluctant me to the Bal Vikas class where our ever-patient and loving Bal Vikas Guru, Rao Aunty (as we addressed her), would regale us with Swami’s stories and thus inculcated the feeling of deep love for Swami.

I will always remain indebted to all of them for persuading me to go forth on the Sai Path.

I had finished my schooling and was appearing for the entrance examinations to study medicine. I believe my mother’s silent prayer was that if I were to become a medical doctor, then she wished that I should serve Swami in that capacity. Of course, at that point of time little did we know that it is for Swami’s Grace to allow or not rather than the other way round.

For my part, the only reason I wanted to enter the medical profession was to alleviate the physical suffering of my fellow humans and never for any name, fame, money, or position. With Swami’s Grace, I got selected to study medicine. Four years of my study just whizzed past and I found myself in the final year. One of those days, my mother shared a concern that she had with me. "Swami does not have a hospital, so where or how will you serve Swami? My guess was as good as hers. At that time, we were not much aware of the scope of the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital.

Little did we know that our wonderful Swami was pulling and adjusting the strings in our favour (When do we ever know, actually. Swami hardly ever gives us a hint of the Grace He is going to bestow…The Silent Worker that our dearest Swami is).

During internship I got a chance to come as a Sevadal during the World Conference in 1990. This thought of whether I would get an opportunity to serve Swami, coupled with my mother’s concern, was uppermost in my mind. The world conference coincided with Swami’s Birthday. In the course of the Birthday discourse, Swami announced the construction of the new Super Speciality Hospital at Puttaparthi, saying that it would start functioning in November 1991 i.e. in exactly an year. I was thrilled and I wondered whether I had heard it right. As if a reply to my thought, Swami continued emphatically ".. Swami’s Sankalpa is Vajra Sankalpa…". So I could hear the pronouncement a second time that day and I was overjoyed. I had no inkling whether I would get to serve in Swami’s Hospital or not, but I felt extremely happy that Swami had provided an opening for me and above all, it was timed to perfection (as Swami’s acts always are)

During the inaugural year in 1991, SSSIHMS (Super Speciality Hospital) had advertised for MBBS doctors. I applied and was called for an interview, but Dr. A.N.Safaya, the then director of the hospital expressed that it would be better if I completed my postgraduate specialisation and then applied.  At that time, we did not have facility for PG courses here. 

With a heavy heart I went back and completed my post-graduation in Pathology in 1994. After my exams, I promptly came to have Darshan of Swami in Brindavan, Whitefield, and stayed there for a month. Then I came to the Superspeciality Hospital at Puttaparthi. But I was told that there was no vacancy for a Pathologist in the labs (there were already 5 doctors manning the different sections). I was quite willing to wait and also reluctant to take up any other job although quite a few opportunities were available in big corporate hospitals and medical colleges in Mumbai where I was staying then.

A few months of waiting and pining passed, my parents and well-wishers advised that rather than wait like that, I should utilise my time by taking a job and also get some experience and later whenever an opportunity presented in Swami’s institute I could always take it.  I agreed and told my employer at the time of joining that, the moment I would get an opportunity in Swami’s institute I would leave immediately. 

During this period, almost every week, I would write a letter to Swami with a cc to the Director's office and enclose my CV in both the letters, but I did not receive any reply. 

So much was the yearning to join Swami’s Institute, that one day, after some 4 months of working, I resigned from the job and came with the Sevadals for state seva. I went to the administration section of SSSIHMS and enquired if there was any opportunity to work in Swami’s hospital, but there was none.  On the last day of our 15-day seva, the administration asked me to present myself for an interview (although there was no vacancy). The panel was happy with my performance in the interview, but they reiterated that at that moment they did not have a vacancy nor could they assure me if any vacancy would arise in the near future and that, I should rather take up a new job and not wait as there was no guarantee as to how long the wait would be. 

I was completely disappointed and had no recourse, but to return to Mumbai and take up another job. In less than a month of the Puttaparthi interview, out of the blue, I get a telegram from Swami’s hospital which said, " JOIN IMMEDIATELY ". I was shocked and amazed to say the least. Just a month ago they had told me that there was no vacancy and now I was told to join immediately. When I read the telegram I chuckled to myself and felt that Swami probably could no longer bear my constant prodding and eventually decided to give me a job. Needless to say I was on cloud nine. I thought and felt that this was Bliss!! Or closest to it. 

It was obvious that the compassionate Lord, our dear Swami was really working very hard behind the scenes (in fact in one of my dreams 2 months earlier, Swami had, to my persistent prayer, told me, “Bring your papers and come”.) 

To be a part of Swami’s mission is not a coincidence; it is only through HIS Infinite Grace and Compassion, that our prayers bear fruit.".

My parents told me that I belong first to Swami and if I had this intense desire to join and pursue on this path, then they would not come in the way and persuade me otherwise. I am extremely grateful to Swami for giving me such parents and to my sister - all of whom whole heartedly supported and encouraged me in this spiritual journey of mine, which physically started in the March of 1995, with me joining the hospital.

When I joined, the Laboratory was a small department and we were doing about 25-30 samples/day in each of the sections in the Labs as there were only 2 clinical departments then. But as time progressed, the number of departments started growing. In fact once every 2 years we would have the addition of a new Department- from Cardiology and CTVS to start with, the departments of Urology,  Ophthalmology, Plastic Surgery, Orthopedics, Gastrointestinal Department etc. came up quickly. Also we had samples coming from the from SSS General Hospital and SSS Mobile hospitals. So not only did we see a rise in the number of samples, but also we were adding new types of tests as per the requirements of the departments concerned. 

So the hospital laboratory evolved rapidly along with the requirement. Currently, we have the state-of-the-art equipment in each of our labs and they are at par with the best in the world. Whenever there has been a requirement of either manpower or equipment Swami has always provided it immediately to the hospital.

In outside hospitals and also when I was doing MBBS in a Government Medical College, we used to get many poor patients who could not afford even basic medicines for treatment. So, my friends and I would say that while doctors may be considered gods by the patients, but these gods were so helpless in alleviating their sicknesses.  At that time Swami's concept of a totally free hospital seemed a utopia. I came to know that Swami's hospital is the only one of its kind, which does not have a billing department and to be given an opportunity to work in this hospital, filled me with a sense of great peace.     

I had no longer to worry about where the resources came from, but only focus on doing my best for the patient. For this, I cannot thank Swami enough. 

 Many a time due to work, we would not be able to have Darshan of Swami for weeks and though we felt it was our lives’ fulfilment to be at work and considered our work as worship, at times we would feel a bit guilty as Swami, the Avatar was so close-by!

One incident I vividly remember regarding this aspect, which I share here. This was during one of the Anniversary celebrations in the hospital. Swami visited the hospital and in a discourse in the central prayer hall, Swami addressed the staff, “.. For your spiritual uplift, you do not require to perform any sadhana, japa, tapa or pada pooja, just do your work sincerely, make the patients happy and I assure you that I will give you liberation.. "

Another incident I remember was in 1996 when we added a physical extension to the lab. I am sharing this incident because Swami taught us multiple things through it. 

During those days Swami would visit the hospital on various occasions. We felt that Swami should visit our new lab extension. However Swami’s visit did not materialise, so I was feeling a bit disappointed, as I felt that the Lab extension was not sanctified by His physical visit.                                                                                                                                           

One night I had a dream. 

During those days we were not yet computerised and the lab had physical paper reports, which were prepared manually and each one of the reports was scrutinized and signed by the Pathologist. After this, they would be filed in small cabinets designated speciality wise for the purpose so that they could be easily collected by the specific speciality staff.

In the dream I saw Swami standing exactly in the same area in the New Lab extension premises where we would keep these reports.  Swami was picking up each of the bundle of reports that I had signed. He was going through the reports meticulously and then put His counter-signature on each one of them. It was not 1 or 2 reports, but Swami repeated this process for all the reports of that day.

In the dream I happened to just enter the department whilst Swami was doing this. Swami looked at me and gave an all knowing smile, aware that I had got the message. It showed that Swami had in fact not only visited the new extension area but also that HE was minutely supervising the work done by each one of us and He is with us in our workplace every moment. That is how we got a validation of Swami’s Omnipresence.

One more incident that I would like to narrate here, which is of course closest to my heart. With new departments being added in the hospital, the lab work was increasing and I was wondering whether we should have one more pathologist recruited to share the workload. I decided to sit in the Darshan praying fervently to Swami for some kind of a message regarding the same. 

I sat in the Darshan line waiting for Swami to pass by me on His way back after Bhajans. Just when Swami was about to start from the Bhajan Mandir and come towards us, prasadam distribution started. The prasadam on that day consisted some sweet and a message on a paper.  I put the prasadam in my purse without even looking at it as I was totally focused on Swami. Just then I felt a tap on my shoulder from the person seated next to me who wished to know what message I had received. She explained that each prasadam came with a message. Even then I was not interested and not wanting to be distracted any further, I gave her my purse with the prasadam to her. The next moment, I heard her exclaim, “Wow, Swami has given you such a beautiful message". I turned around and read “I and you make the Best Team - BABA".. 

I had tears in my eyes when I read the message. Swami had answered my query.

Also, the message was deep and profound in other ways. It said “ I and you..” meaning Swami is my Supervisor and I was working directly under Him and we together make the best team. Well, doubtless, the team, which has Swami on its side, is going to be the best team.

Never before, nor ever since, have I came across this unique message from Swami. 

Swami does not need a hospital to cure any patient. He can do it in His own way and He has a myriad ways. He does not need any one of us to execute any of His works. But, purely out of His infinite love, mercy, compassion and sheer grace for/on all for us, Swami has conceived this hospital for giving us a chance to be a part of His mission and hasten our spiritual uplift. 

All we need to do is heed the call, sharpen our skills, put in our best efforts and thus allow Him to work through us. May Swami bless us with Ichha Shakti, Gnana Shakti and Kriya Shakti. Swami, let us please You and keep You happy with our efforts and justify the opportunity that You have so graciously granted. 

Samastha Lokaaha Sukhino Bhavanthu.

Jai Sai Ram.