Sri Sathya Sai on The Bangalore Super Specialty Hospital

Sunday, March 11, 2001 

Evening

In the Ganesh portico, Swami saw Prof. Anil Kumar coming back to his place. 

Swami : (To Prof. Anil Kumar) Did you go for Bhojanam?

Prof. A. K. : Swami, bathroom. (Swami gave clothes to two Hospital boys.)

Swami : (Regarding the Bangalore Hospital) Bangalore technicians came. They are very good. In the Bangalore Hospital, the rush is increasing. They are performing 10 to 12 operations every day. Because of the increasing rush, they are doing checking (out-patient diagnosis) separately. Patients are happy.

Prof. A. K. : Many students are getting an opportunity to work in Swami’s Hospital. 

Swami : In the beginning, doctors thought that our boys are like any other boys. (Mentioning a student’s name) He works very well. He said that working in Swami’s Hospital has sanctified his education. In our Hospital, we have many nurses specifically working for each department like general, operation theatre, I.C.U., etc. Patients also recover very fast. The day of the operation, they will be unconscious. The second day, they are shifted to I.C.U. and by the third day, they are in general ward. In a central room, there is a TV, where one can see how the patients are after the operation. If the operation is over today, one can see the patient the next evening. One can also see the operation on the TV. All kinds of people are there, but poor people are more. Patients come even from Pakistan.

(To an alumnus of the Institute now working in the Hospital, referring to the Pakistani patient) How is that person?

H. Boy : Swami, he is fine. 

Swami : How many operations per day?

H. Boy : Ten, Swami.

Prof. A. K. : From which region do people come?

H. Boy : From all regions.

Swami : In O.P.D. (Out-Patient Department), 150 patients are checked per day. They are fully busy. There is separate place for out-patients. There is also a canteen to serve those who come to the Hospital. (To the Institute alumnus working in the Hospital) What do people say about the Hospital?

H. Boy : They say that it is a spiritual abode. People from all parts of the country come; places like Maharashtra, Kerala, etc. Many are very poor. 

Swami : They feel shy to go inside the Hospital and are surprised seeing the building and also the treatment provided there. In two or three days, the patients are discharged. Our boys are working on machines which cost ` 60 crores. Payments for the machines are made through bank. We have the latest equipment in our Hospital. (Swami narrated an incident of a patient who was denied admission in a private Hospital because he could not pay the required amount immediately, and subsequently died at the Hospital gate.) Here, the emergency patients are permitted to go directly inside the Hospital. The patients are given free food in both the Hospitals (Puttaparthi and Bangalore). Patients say that it is better than their house. More than a home, it is a temple. (To another Institute alumnus working in the Hospital) What do patients say?

H. Boy : They say that it is a spiritual abode, a temple.

Swami : 200 people are to be operated. Already 300 heart operations and 100 brain operations are over.

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Bangalore

Prof. A. K. : The lawns are very nice. They are like the lawns of Rashtrapati Bhavan (the official residence of the President of India). The pillars are like that of the Parliament building. 

Swami : (After a while) Bangalore Seva Dals are doing a lot of work. How many Seva Dals are there?

H. Boy : Swami, 300. 

Prof. A. K. : Swami, are ladies less prone to heart disease?

Swami : Yes. In men, fat gets concentrated.

Prof. A. K. : The Hospital area is becoming a big center. 

Swami : There is a bus stop in front of the Hospital. One can come to the Hospital by a direct bus. Every day, the Hospital starts working at 8.00 am in the morning; they put on soft music. There is a separate vehicle for Swami to go around in the Hospital. There is also another 20-seater van. Even patients need not walk. (Then Swami gave details about the Hospital canteen. To the Hospital boy) When are you leaving?

H. Boy : Swami, after Bhajans.

Swami : By 10.00 pm, they will reach. What about your food? Bhutia (Caretaker of the Brindavan Ashram) will take care. In General Hospital (Bangalore) there is heavy rush. Muslims, Christians, all come. There are no caste feelings. They (the General Hospital staff) are praying that Swami should come. They do good work. They are fully busy. Even in the evenings, they do work. There are two senior doctors for brain. The care taken for brain operation is more than that for heart operation because there are many minute parts in the brain. The first operation was done on a 22 year old youth. Three days after the operation when I went to the Hospital, the boy spoke to Me. He said that he was the first person to undergo operation here and Swami has given his brain back to him. Nobody else does this kind of thing absolutely free. 19 operations have been done on children below four years of age. Students (alumni of Swami’s University working in the Hospital) are doing very good work. They are saying that they have got a great opportunity. Our boys don’t have contact with the public. There are separate public relations people.

Prof. A. K. : (Mentioning about a doctor, who is in-charge of the Hospital) He is from London. 

Swami : His wife is also a doctor. She also takes care of the patients well. 

Prof. A. K. : What are the timings for the public to visit?

Swami : Evening 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm. In the morning they are not permitted. The last bus from the Hospital is at 9.00 pm. (Swami mentioned that a special bus had been arranged for them to go and come everyday. To the Hospital boys) Are you all not going to the city?

H. Boy : No, Swami.

Swami : Don’t you go for cinema?

Students : No, Swami.

Swami : They don’t see TV. They see TV only when they see the patients. Our boys want to be where Swami is. They are good boys. Many are working on the Heart-Lung machine and other machines to diagnose the patients. In the city, people are surprised at the work that is being done. They wonder how it is possible, how are they able to bear the cost? Are all happy at home?

The Cardio Thoracic ICU at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences

Students : Yes, Swami. All are happy.

Swami : Get up and go and sit in your place.

(To Prof. Anil Kumar) All are good boys.

Prof. A. K. : Very nice, Swami. People coming from Nepal and Pakistan for treatment. We never even dreamt of such things.

Swami : Kulwant Rai’s brother-in-law came with a programme at Delhi from April 4th to April 11th. I said ‘No’ to him. (After a while) What news? 

Warden : Swami, today is Sunday. Boys would like to speak in front of Swami. After this, Swami got up. Prof. Anil Kumar was staring at Swami’s legs.

Swami : (To Prof. Anil Kumar) My leg is proper. It is because of the fur mat. While going back, Swami spoke to an Institute student, Jambavantha (referring to the bear character in the Ramayana) and took his letter and read it. 

After this, Swami went back to the interview room.

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (2000-2001)