Mystics and Saints

This Gujarat-born doctor joined Mahatma Gandhi as his Physician from 1936 soon after she graduated from Lady Hardinge Medical College. She Was a true Gandhian like her brother Pyarelal. Her selfless service at Sevagram is legendary. After Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, she left for the USA to join Johns Hopkins University for specialization in Public Health. She entered politics and was India’s Minister for Health for eleven years from 1955 to 1967. She was associated with three Prime Ministers – Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Sastry, and Indira Gandhi. As Union Health Minister she laid a firm foundation for ‘Rural Health Care’ and her favourite project was ‘Health for all’. In 1967, she returned to the institution she founded – Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences at Wardha and worked as a professor and later as Director. She remained a bachelorette and stayed in a small room in the Ladies Hostel with minimal furnishings. She was known for simplicity and dedication. She did not mind sweeping floors, cleaning utensils, and always treated medical students as her children. Dr. Vijayakumar was her student and later her colleague and co-examiner. He always remembers her dictum: ‘Be as simple as Sai Baba.’

Puttanna aka K.S. Nagaraja Rao (1927-2024)

Born in a middle-class family in Bengaluru, Puttanna evolved as a great devotee of Sai Baba and his apostles – Sri Narasimha Swamiji and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji. A free thinker, poet, and writer, he has influenced tens and hundreds of people into ‘Bhakti Marg.’ He was working with Central Silk Board and lived in Mumbai and Bengaluru On retirement he settled in Bengaluru and spearheaded three epoch-making movements – mobilizing ten crores ‘Likhit’ Nama Japa of ‘Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya, Jaya Sai’ and getting them immersed at Kanyakumari at the confluence of three oceans, initiating nine crore times recitation of Vishnu Sahasranama by Sai devotees all over the country, and conducting over 1008 ‘Homas’ of Vishnu Sahasranama at different places. His pious deeds have earned him the name ‘Puttanna Guruji’ a Sai saint. His songs and poems have influenced many to become Sai Maharaj devotees.

Mother Sita Shri (1930 -2019)

Born in a middle-class Brahmin family in Mylapore, Chennai, Sita Shri showed her divine nature even at age ten. Mother Goddess Kamakshi Devi possessed her. Her musical compositions, melodious singing, and devout actions took her to Paramacharya of Kanchi, Sri Chandrasekharedra Saraswati, and Sri Narasimha Swamiji at All India Sai Samaj. They earned her the title ‘Baba Kolandai’ – daughter of Baba. Her admirers have converted this title to ‘Gift of Baba.’ She had visions of Sai Maharaj, Ramana Bhagawan, and other great saints. She worked for the United States Information Service, Chennai until she relocated to Sainikpuri, a neighborhood in the northern part of Hyderabad city to look after her mother. She had named her residence as ‘Sai Ashram’.

Sathanur Sorakayiidoddi Kariyappa (1900-1990)

Popularly known as ‘Kanakapura Gandhi’ in Bengaluru Rural District, Kariyappa was a great educationist. He transformed many children to learn and lead a life as responsible citizens. He did his Master’s in English from Mysore University and decided to work for the rural masses. In 1941, he founded the ‘Rural Education Society at Kanakapura, a group of institutions, 70 kilometers from Bengaluru to impart education to rural children spanning primary to post-graduation at an affordable cost with hostel facilities. He was moved by the plight of rural children commuting to the city to pursue their education. This society is autonomous and offers education to over three thousand children in and around Kanakapura including vocational courses. The Gandhi of Kanakapura did not marry and resided with the students in the hostel and used a mat for sleeping. He was a true Gandhian to the core.