On Sep, 14 Sep 2021, Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Swami – an instrumentation of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and the face behind Baba’s spirituality and service mission – visited Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram Wardha. The reason behind the gracious visit was to understand MGIMS’s teachings and best practices and emulate the same in their upcoming medical college in Karnataka.
Sri Madhusudhan Swami called this occasion a ‘Sangam’ of MGIMS and Sathya Sai Baba Trust where the two entities have similar dream of rendering service to mankind. “We have come here to learn from you, take your advice and emulate your community centric teaching. It is a lifetime opportunity to learn from a hollowed institution like MGIMS”, he expressed. He also emphasized on the need of rural India education and recalled Mahatma Gandhi in Sathya Sai Baba’s words ‘Gram Seva is Ram Seva’. Swamiji also said that his organization shall continue to fund scholarships for needy MGIMS students to peruse their medical education. “You are training and teaching inspired young minds to serve on the ideals taught by Mahatma Gandhi ji, which is the greatest service being rendered by your team”, he added.
Along with the revered Swami were Mr BN Narsimha Murthy (Chancellor, Sri Satya Sai Baba University of Human Excellence) and Mr C Sreenivas (Chairman, Sri Sathya Sai Health and Education Trust), volunteers and several student leaders. Shri Dhirubhai Mehta (President, Kasturba Health Society), Shri PL Tapadiya (Vice-President, Kasturba Health Society), Dr BS Garg (Secretary, Kasturba Health Society), Dr NM Gangane (Dean, MGIMS), Dr SP Kalantri (Medical Superintendent, Kasturba Hospital), Dr P Narang (Emeritus Professor of Microbiology) along with faculty and staff were present at the occasion..
The occasion was marked by offering prayer and seeking the gracious blessings from Sri Satya Sai Baba at the institute’s Emergency Medicine Centre. 20 years ago, this centre had received funding from the Satya Sai Baba Trust. Shri Dhirubhai welcomed the guests with traditional soot-gundi and fondly reminisced one of his interactions with Satya Sai Baba some three decades ago. “We are extremely happy that the trust chose MGIMS as a model for inspiring medical education”, he added. “You are walking in the footsteps of Baba and we are fortunate to have your blessings today”, expressed Dr (Mrs) P Narang.
Dr NM Gangane shared the ethos of MGIMS and gave a glimpse of MGIMS’s commitment to excellence in education, quality research and community engagement. “MGIMS has a distinction of being a medical college where community based medical education makes the framework of the students’ learning process”, he added. Dr SP Kalantri introduced various unique features of the hospital like low-cost drug initiative, paperless Hospital Information System, Health assurance schemes, healthcare at Melghat along with sharing the hospital’s commitment to accessible, affordable and appropriate healthcare for rural and poor people. “Kasturba Hospital is a testament of love, care and service for rural communities and we are happy to reach out to that last common man”, Dr Kalantri emphasised.
The dignitaries also visited institute library, which they found inspiring, open, inviting and motivating . They spent an hour at Gandhi Ashram, a visit that helped them learn how Gandhiji and his associated lived, planned freedom and worked relentlessly for the nation.