विद्या ददाति विनयं विनयाद्याति पात्रताम् । पात्रत्वाद्धनमाप्नोति धनाद्धर्मं ततः सुखम्

True knowledge (Education) confers Humility, from Humility comes worthiness, from worthiness one gets wealth, with wealth (one does) good deeds, from that (comes) joy.

Time and again, Swami had stressed the importance of humility being the hallmark of a Vidya-arthi – someone who is seeking guidance from a higher source of knowledge.

When I entered the portals of SSSIHL for my MBA in 1989 I had just completed my engineering degree. With no prior knowledge of His teachings, I was a typical city-bred, self-absorbed, vain and arrogant youth, with a condescending attitude to all things spiritual and “amused” by all the do-gooders in this world.

Over the next sixteen years in His Direct Physical presence, Swami’s Grace worked on my inner self to make me understand the values that are needed to lead a right life. From among the many lessons I learnt at His Lotus Feet, the value I found personally and professionally enriching was humility. Swami’s constant refrain during His interactions with us as students was that there would not be any connection between what we are studying and what we are going to practice in our work life. Swami prepared us to totally disconnect our efforts and our expectations. Dispassionately carrying on our duties without any ostentation, not being driven by greed or vanity but thinking of society before self were the lofty standards He wanted us to practice.

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया । उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्वदर्शिनः ॥

tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah

Learn the truth by approaching a (spiritual) master. Inquire from Him submissively and render service unto Him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.

After my MBA, Bhagawan blessed me to join the team of five students getting trained to start the new Hospital Operations in the new Super Speciality hospital in Prasanthi Nilayam.

Swami spent close to two weeks preparing us for our apprenticeship in AIIMS for next four months. He was verily the mother sending out the newly married daughter to the in-laws’ place, giving all the tips about what to watch out for in a new place among new people. His directive for us was that if we are to learn something, we needed to put down our heads, curb our tendency to show off and learn the nuances of running a hospital from those experienced and senior in this complex field of tertiary Health care.

My first boss was a senior Cath lab technician who had a 10^th class pass as his qualification but over the next three months, he taught me how to take care of the different machines, processes, drugs, consumables and manoeuvres that can help deliver a safe patient experience. Numerous doctors, nurses and paramedics shared their knowledge and experience on how to efficiently run a Cath Lab and be ready for any eventuality.

Over the next fourteen years in SSSIHMS, I came across numerous inspiring figures like this septuagenarian Senior Professor who diligently devoted two hours a day to learn; the millionaire doctor who quit his lucrative practice abroad to serve patients in India; senior professionals and homemakers who acted as patient escorts as part of their Seva dal duties— all living examples of practicing humility as a Value. 

Eventually, when I had to move out of Puttaparthi in 2005 I joined a non-profit startup- EMRI-108 program as Head of the Human Resources function. We consciously embraced humility as an organizational value. Without knowing that we do not know much, we would, forever remain closed to new knowledge. Becoming a “Learning” organization helped us quickly grow and expand the service from one city to virtually 80% of the country, from about 30 employees to a mammoth organization of over ten thousand people, known for their dedication and commitment to save lives in emergencies and change the face of emergency management in India. That this growth was possible due to Direct Blessings of Bhagawan is another story in itself.

The primary requisite for any Learning Organization to thrive and grow is to believe and agree that they do not always know everything. That there are experts in the field, one needs to be humble enough to learn from those that have already trod the path and then this knowledge will be shared with us without us replicating all those efforts. I count this realization of this truth as His Eternal Blessing on all of us. As a professional, this surely has given me the highest satisfaction and success.

HSD Srinivas MBA, 1989 – 1991, Prasanthi Nilayam, and worked in Sri Sathya Sai Super Specialty Hospital from its establishment in 1991 to 2005. Currently Project Director for Health Systems in Tata Trusts, Mumbai.