With the Divine Grace of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences(SSSIHMS), Prasanthigram, will celebrate its 33rd anniversary on November 22, 2024. The SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, continued to maintain high standards of patient care by providing totally free treatment to patients irrespective of caste, creed, race, religion, ethnicity, and nationality. The completely free treatment includes diagnosis, surgery,interventions, medicines, and diet. During the past 34 years, 45,98,384  outpatient consultations took place and 3,46,772  surgeries and procedures were performed. A total of 1,119,282 diagnostic tests were performed for the patients. During the past year, that is, in 2024-2025, 1,52,359 patient consultations were carried out and 10,859 surgeries and procedures were performed by the departments of CTVS, Cardiology, Urology, Plastic Surgery, Ophthalmology and Orthopaedics, and Gastroenterology put together. In the year 2024-25 the SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, has saved a total of Rs. 475,119,568 ($ 5,399,086) of the patients. This figure swells up to Rs 11,814,520,050 ($ 134,255,909) when calculated from the inception. 

The past year was filled with activity. Here we present a summary of the same. 

Inauguration of cutting-edge robotic surgery system

With the blessings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, a state-of-the-art robotic surgery system was commissioned at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram, on October 2, 2025. This is a revolutionary step in the advancement of patient care at the hospitals run by the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, where advanced treatment is provided totally free of charge to all the patients.

The robotic surgical system worth Rs. 8.0 crore was inaugurated by the Managing Trustee of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Sri R J Rathnakar in the presence of the Trustee of SSSCT, Sri K Chakravarthy, the Director of SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, Dr. Gurumurthy, the Joint Director, and the Head of Department of CTVS, Dr. Anil Kumar Mulpur, and other senior staff members from the hospital and the SSSCT. 

The robotic surgical system, SSi Mantra Robotic System, is an indigenously developed system by SS Innovations, and is designed to perform a wide range of procedures across specialties. At SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, the system will be used primarily by the departments of Cardio Thoracic Surgery and Urology.

The robotic surgery, being minimally invasive has the advantage of minimal blood loss, less pain, less possibility of infection, and therefore faster recovery for the patients. From the surgeon’s point of view, the robotic surgical system provides greater precision, enhanced access to complex areas of the body, and also comfort during the long surgical procedures.

Speaking on the occasion Sri R J Rathnakar said, "the commissioning of the robotic surgical system is not just about the integration of advanced technology to our healthcare system, but it is also in realization of the commitment of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust to Bhagawan Baba’s vision to provide the best, compassionate, value-based healthcare care to all totally free of charge. Robotic Surgical System will enhance our ability to provide safer, more effective surgical care to our patients," he added.

Advanced Phacoemulsification System inaugurated

 With the Blessings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, a state-of-the-art phacoemulsification machine was commissioned in the Ophthalmology department of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram, on September 3, 2025.

The phacoemusification machine, the Alcon CENTURION Vision System, worth around Rs 75 lakh, was inaugurated by the Managing Trustee of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Sri. R.J. Rathnakar. Present on the occasion were the Director of the SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, Dr. Gurumurthy, the Head of the Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. Anuj Sharma, and other senior staff members of the hospital.

Phacoemulsification is a technique in Cataract Surgery which uses high-frequency ultrasound waves to break up the eye's cloudy natural lens (the cataract) into tiny fragments, which are then suctioned out. After the fragments are removed, an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL), is inserted into the eye's lens capsule to restore clear vision.

Alcon CENTURION Vision System is an advanced phacoemulsification device, designed to enhance anterior chamber stability and improve surgical efficiency through Active Fluidics™ Technology and a peristaltic pump system. This system allows for precise control of intraocular pressure and fluidics, contributing to safer cataract removal, reduced cumulative dissipated energy, and better outcomes for patients. The system also offers extensive customization of ultrasound energy and fluidics parameters, allowing surgeons to tailor settings to different types of cataracts and specific procedural needs.

Speaking on the occasion, Sri R J Rathnakar said that every department of Bhagawan Baba’s hospital has equipment comparable to the best in the world. Our policy is to keep upgrading the systems constantly so that the best treatment can be given to the patients. The new Alcon CENTURION Vision System inaugurated in the Ophthalmology department facilitates the realization of that endeavour.

State-of-the-art Echocardiography Machines inaugurated 

 With the immense Grace of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, two state-of-the-art echocardiography machines were inaugurated at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences (SSSIHMS), Prasanthigram, on Monday the 12.05.2025.

The two echocardiography machines and the data center with the support infrastructure worth Rs. 3.8 crore was inaugurated by the Managing Trustee of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Sri R. J. Rathnakar, along with the Director of SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, Dr. Gurumurthy, the Head of Department, Cardiology, Dr. V R Iyer, and other senior staff members. Director of Sri Sathya Sai Media Centre Sri. Sundar Swaminathan was present on the occasion.

The two echocardiography machines from GE are currently the most advanced machines manufactured by the company.

Both machines come equipped with 4 Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiogram and Transthoracic Echocardiogram probes for children, which is a cutting-edge feature. Secondly, the machines come with an advanced calculation package, which is able to perform chamber-wise analysis of the heart. The machines also provide highly detailed images, which help cardiologists and cardiac surgeons make the right decisions for the patients.

New Advanced Datacentre Commissioned

An advanced data center was inaugurated on the same day as the echocardiography machines were inaugurated. The new data centre will accommodate the data of all the hospitals coming under Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust Medical Care Division. This will help in better patient data management, simplify processes, enhance data security and provide huge savings to the Trust. After the inauguration of the Data Centre, Sri Rathnakar presided over a detailed presentation about the Centre by the Head of Department of HMIS, Sri S. Kannan.

Speaking on the occasion the Managing Trustee  of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Sri  R J Rathnakar said that in the world today medical technology is changing at a fast pace and to provide the best patient care we have been continuously upgrading the equipment of Bhagawan Baba’s medical institutions. In the past few years we have bought an advanced Cath lab, a Heart lung machine and an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) machine for SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram. The two new Echo machines and also the new data centre will further upgrade the health infrastructure of the hospital.

Sri Sathya Sai Global Orthopaedic Conference 2025: A report

With the grace of our beloved Lord Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Sri Sathya Sai Global Orthopaedic Conference-2025, on Hip Preservation-Present & Future, was successfully conducted, from 19th September to 21st September, 2025. The conference was supported by the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam.  

The conference was a huge success with 183 delegates registering from different parts of the country. The conference was able to successfully amalgamate all the components of hip preservation i.e. proximal femoral osteotomy, safe surgical dislocation with Osteochondroplasty, Arthroscopy and Regenerative medicine all together on one platform, which has never been done before in the country. The Pre-conference hands-on workshop on "Role of Osteotomy in preserving Hip joint" got an overwhelming response.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Benjamin Joseph, one of the pioneers of Paediatric Orthopaedics in India, who shared his lifelong experience with this disease of the young, which incited excellent interactive sessions amongst faculty and delegates. This was followed by a session dedicated to the nuances of hip preservation in children and adolescents. Dr Kartik Logishetty from London, UK, Dr Andrew Lim from NUH, Singapore, spoke on principles of hip preservation in children & adolescents.

Dr. Vrisha Madhuri former HOD, Dept. of Paedatric Orthopaedics, CMC Vellore, a veteran pediatric Orthopaedic surgeon, spoke on her technique of safe surgical dislocation in children and adolescents. Dr. Jayanth Sampath, Pediatric Orthopaedic consultant from Bangalore and Dr. Koushik Narayan, Senior Consultant, Orthopaedics, SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, spoke on the role of various strategies in hip preservation. Dr. N.K Magu, a pioneer in hip preservation strategies, presented his 35 years of experience with his case series. Dr Easwar TR, Senior Orthopaedic surgeon from Kerala, and Dr Abhishek VM, Senior consultant, Orthopaedics, SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, presented interesting and challenging cases in hip preservation, which had active participation of faculty and delegates.

On the second day, three Re-live surgeries were demonstrated by Dr Vrisha Madhuri, Dr Raghavendra, and Dr N.K Magu, All the Re-live surgeries were done on classical Hip cases. Many novel surgical techniques and innovative patented surgical instruments were showcased in the conference. This was followed by a hip preservation talk by Dr Tanmoy Mohanty, a veteran Orthopaedic innovator from Bhubaneshwar, and Dr Shiva Gopal, an eminent pelviacetabular surgeon from Hull, UK. This was followed by rehabilitation guidelines in hip preservation by Dr. Vijay (PT) & Dr. Aparna (MPT), our physiotherapists. All sessions were well received and a number of technical intricacies were discussed at the end of each session.

The third day of the conference was dedicated to Regenerative procedures for Hip Preservation. Dr. Ramesh Sen, Former HOD, PGIMER, Chandigarh and a stalwart in Regenerative hip preservation in the world, delivered his instructional course lecture and shared his experience over the last thirty-five years on hip preservation. This was followed by Core basic science research lecture by Senior Consultant & HOD, Department of Orthoapedics, SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, Dr. Prakash Khanchandani, who also described a novel surgical technique with a novel drug cocktail for hip preservation in adults. Many other novel regenerative techniques for hip preservation by Dr Bishnu patro, Senior Consultant & HOD, AIIMS, Bhubaneshwar, and Dr. Raghavendra Kembhavi, Senior Consultant, from Mysuru were showcased and discussed in detail. There was enthusiastic participation in the interactive sessions by all the delegates. Furthermore, there were very interesting and insightful discussions amongst the faculty members, which ignited many fruitful debates on various treatment protocols which benefitted the delegates immensely.

At the same time, Delegates and faculty members experienced the spiritual bliss at this abode of supreme peace.

The conference was awarded 5 (Five) CME credit hours by Andhra Pradesh Medical Council.

Sri Sathya Sai Global Cardiovascular Conference 2025 – Report

The Sri Sathya Sai Global Cardiovascular Conference, held at the Sai Hira Global Convention Center, Prasanthi Nilayam, was a landmark event commemorating World Heart Day 2025 and the Centenary Celebrations of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Organized in collaboration with the World Heart Federation (Geneva), Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences (SSSIHMS), and the University of Rochester Medical Center (USA), the conference brought together science, spirituality, and service in a unique confluence.

Key Highlights:

• Medical Camp (Sept 27): Free screenings for diabetes, hypertension, and cardiac conditions were offered to the public, emphasizing early detection and preventive care. 

• Heart Walk & Formations (Sept 29): A symbolic Heart Walk and red illumination of landmarks marked World Heart Day, promoting heart health awareness. Cultural programs and visual formations by students added vibrancy to the celebrations. 

• Scientific Sessions: Over 65 internationally renowned speakers delivered keynote addresses and panel discussions on cutting-edge topics in cardiac surgery, interventional cardiology, preventive cardiology, digital health, and AI in cardiovascular care. [www.youtube.com], [www.sssmed...centre.org]

• Preventive Cardiology Exhibition: A unique exhibition showcased creative and scientific contributions from primary school children to postgraduate students, including:

  • Models on “Reducing Hurry, Worry, Curry”

  • Posters on lifestyle changes for heart health

  • Interactive displays on nutrition and exercise

  • AI-based heart monitoring prototypes

  • Biobank and tissue engineering concepts from medical students

• Participation & Accreditation:

  • Over 600 delegates attended, including doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and allied health professionals. [www.sssmed...centre.org]

  • The conference was accredited for 6 CME credit points by the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council and 8.25 CME credit points by the University of Rochester Medical College, New York. [world-hear...ration.org]

Theme & Message:

The overarching theme, “Harmonizing Heart Health – Reducing Hurry, Worry, Curry”, echoed Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s teachings on holistic well-being. The conference emphasized the integration of spiritual, emotional, and physical health in cardiac care.

Glimpses of Sri Sathya Sai Global Cardiovascular Conference 2025

Global conference on sri sathya sai Ideal healthcare -June 2025

“Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s Healthcare model is crucial for this country, with nearly 300 million people unable to afford a square meal a day. If they struggle for food, how can they even consider visiting a hospital? That’s the gap Bhagawan’s mission fills, serving those in desperate need,” the Managing Trustee of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Sri RJ Rathnakar, said. He was speaking during the valedictory session of the “Global Conference on Sri Sathya Sai Ideal Healthcare” organised by the Sri Sathya Sai Hospitals under the aegis of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust to commemorate the 100th Birthday of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The two-day conference from June 28th to 29th saw the attendance of around 600 delegates from India and abroad. The conference was organised in the state-of-the-art Sai Hira Convention Centre at Prasanthi Nilayam.  

“Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba created the Sri Sathya Sai Hospitals as beacons of hope for those with no alternatives. As the healthcare system becomes more corporatised and insurance-driven, it is essential to have institutions that successfully run on selfless service. Swami started this mission to show that it is possible,” Sri Rathnakar added.

He affirmed that with Bhagawan Baba’s Grace, even after Swami’s Mahasamadhi, all the institutions of Bhagawan Baba are going strong. “We should all realise that it is Bhagawan Baba, even now, who is running these medical institutions. “And these institutions will run forever”, he added.  

Speaking about the role of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust in Bhagawan Baba’s healthcare mission, Sri Rathnakar said that often hospitals have specific requirements for equipment, and even if these cost more, we provide what is needed. Our only expectation is the best possible healthcare for patients—the true stakeholders.

Observing that the conference had been fruitful and would strengthen Bhagawan’s Medical Mission, Sri Rathnakar shared an anecdote of Bhagawan Baba. “When someone asked Swami what the reward for service was, Swami replied: more service. That is the blessing—more opportunities to serve. We should all remember this always,” he said. “By Swami’s grace, we will go from strength to strength”, he concluded.

Keynote Address: The keynote address for the conference was delivered by Lt Gen Dr. Madhuri Kanitkar, who is the Vice Chancellor, Maharashtra University of Health Science a member of Prime Minister's Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council. During her address, Dr. Kanitkar referred to the healthcare system in the country to be 'ill' and said that from this illness, we need to go towards 'wellness'. This wellness, she said, will come only when adequate changes are brought about in medical education to rekindle passion among medical students to serve. “It’s only when we collectively work together, we move towards wellness," she said.

Session 1: His Work: The Divine Heartbeat of Temples of Healing. This session focused on educating the audience about the exemplary service being performed by Bhagawan Baba’s five hospitals in Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and Medical outreach. The session saw talks by Dr. Anil Kumar Mulpur, Joint Director of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram, Dr. U Uma from the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, and Dr. Sumit Thaker from SSSIHMS, Bengaluru, among others. 

Session 2: His Work: Beyond Boundaries – The Ever-Expanding Care Continuum: This session concentrated on patient care beyond the boundaries of the five healthcare institutions of Bhagawan Baba. This session’s inaugural talk about delivered by Dr. V Mohan, the Trustee of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, who spoke about the causes, prevention, and management of diabetes. Dr. Sathya Swaroop Patnaik, State President of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation (SSSSO), Odisha, spoke about how Telemedicine is helping patients of Sai Hospitals in far-flung areas. This was followed by a talk by Sri Amit Dubey on the Sai Rehabilitation Programme. An outreach programme run by the Sri Sathya Sai Institutes of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram and Whitefield, where constant follow-up is done for the Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery patients of both the hospitals by the volunteers of the SSSSO in 13 states of India. Their talks were followed by a presentation by Dr. Prakash Khanchandani, Head of Orthopaedics, SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, about academics at the Sri Sathya Sai Hospitals. He delineated how the trainees at the Sai Hospitals, apart from gaining deep insights and hands-on training in their subjects, also receive the soft skills of empathy, patient communication, and work ethic, which make them better physicians when they leave the portals of the hospital. The talk was followed by a panel discussion about the Impact, Challenges, and Opportunities of the Care Continuum, moderated by Dr. Anil Kumar Mulpur, Joint Director of SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram.  

Session 3: Scaling Heights: Transforming Healthcare through Innovation and Technology

In the first session, the speakers discussed the new and emerging technologies like AI and innovation in information technology, and their impact on healthcare. In the first talk, Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, a renowned computer scientist from Arizona State University, mentioned that in the current scenario, AI was influencing every aspect of healthcare, from enhancing medical images to automating routine tasks and identifying clinical abnormalities. “The best technological solutions are designed with a focus on humanity, ethics, and responsible implementation. Technology should always serve people, learning from human interaction to improve lives. This co-evolution of humans and machines allows both to achieve greater things together,” he added.

This was followed by talks by Heads of the Department of IT of both SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram and Whitefield namely Sri S Kannan and Sri M Subramanium who discussed the positive impact IT has had on the processes of healthcare delivery in both the hospitals and how the centralisation of IT infrastructure among the Sai hospitals has led to better coordination and thereby making the healthcare delivery more efficient. Two panel discussions followed the talks, in which the panellists debated the ‘Harnessing of new and emerging Medical Technologies and the various medical technologies at the Sai Hospitals’.

Session 4:  Serving with Synergy: Uniting Hands for a Healthier Tomorrow

In the final academic session, Dr. Geeta Kamat, Chair, Medical Committee, Zone-1, SSSGC, talked about the various projects taken up by the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council, while Dr. Ram Manohar Rao, National Medical Coordinator of SSSSO, on the other hand, made a presentation about the overall medical activities of the SSSSO, India. The National Service Coordinator of SSSSO, Sri Koteshwar Rao the spoke about the topic of ‘Divyangjan Seva’, in which he delineated how the intervention of the SSSSO has helped many physically challenged persons regain their lost mobility. An interesting aspect of the medical service of SSSSO was highlighted by Dr. Sanjay Aggarwal, Zonal President (North), SSSSO, in his talk, in which he informed the audience how the SSSSO has revived a hospital in the remote Ladakh region and also started medical services activities in the far-flung Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Other topics discussed in the session included programmes about Mother and Childcare in the state of Madhya Pradesh, Volunteer Blood Donation Programme, ‘Liquid Love’, and Mobile medical assistance through Eye Care Vans in various states of India.

Glimpses of Global Conference on Sri Sathya Sai Ideal healthcare, 2025

RARE PHOTOGRAPH OF BHAGAWAN BABA during the inauguration of the HOSPITAL