Date:02/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/02/stories/2005010204800300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

Year-long birthday fete of Saibaba launched

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR, JAN. 1. The year-long 80th birthday celebrations of Satya Saibaba, due in November this year, were launched along with the New Year celebrations in Prashanti Nilaym at Puttaparthi on Saturday.

Satya Saibaba lit a lamp and cut a cake to mark the occasion. An international choir was also organised on the occasion, in which singers from 142 countries participated.

In the evening, old students of Satya Sai institutions sang songs. According to the Satya Sai Central Trust officials, as part of the 80th birthday celebrations, special programmes would be organised every month. Medical camps, conferences, gram seva and others would comprise the special programmes. An international football match would be held in Puttaparthi in December this year as part of the celebrations

Call for help

Meanwhile, at a programme organised at his birthplace, Bommeparthi village in Rapthadu mandal, Ganapati Sachidananda Swamy, extended New Year greetings to people.

Expressing condolences to the tsunami victims he called upon people to contribute their bit to help for those affected.