News & Events

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December 2009 - Group 1 Balvikas Gurus Training
While most of the State was enjoying a long, peaceful weekend, December 25-27 were some of the busiest days for the Sai fraternity in Maharashtra and Goa. One and all had plunged themselves neck deep into months of preparation to usher in the New Year in style. The Sai Style. This weekend was one of new initiatives, greater innovation and power packed team work as there were three major training programs for Sai Workers across Maharashtra and Goa. Held in Sai Prem in Mumbai, the Mother and Child Care Training Program launched a new chapter in the ongoing VIP program. The Media Co-ordinators Training at Dharmakshetra marked a stupendous endeavor to integrate the entire State with technology forming a singular database and tracking mechanism for work across districts. However, while new activities were finding their way in the Sai World, even Bal Vikas – one of the oldest initiatives of the Organization was busy acquiring a fresh, new face
The Zonal Bal Vikas Gurus Training Program for Group I held from December 25 to December 27, 2009 was done in tandem with the decision at a National level to ensure that Bal Vikas Gurus all over India develop a singular understanding of the various topics in the Bal Vikas course. The training however, achieved much, much more.
The sessions gave us all new perspectives to age old topics. Not just a refresher, this training served as an enhancer of new insights and deeper understanding,” says Mrs. Poornima Kamath who has been a Guru for almost two decades. The brief given to all trainers in the program was to present all topics like Gayatri, Story telling, Vedas, etc. in refreshing, practical and innovative ways. This approach worked beautifully as all Gurus – senior as well as nouveau were thrilled with the presentations. “Every trainer had a unique style that exuded a refreshing, new energy in the group every time a topic was discussed,” says Mrs. Kanchana Jayshankar a Bal Vikas parent and an aspiring Guru.

The course itself had been revamped as new topics including Child Psychology, Mentoring, Intuition, Health and Hygiene etc. were introduced. Mentoring was perhaps one of the most beneficial and relevant of the new topics. Mrs. Kamala Pandya Deputy National Co-ordinator, Bal Vikas emphasized the importance of the Guru developing a bond with the child as the relationship between the Guru and the student must go far beyond the one hour of class.

She says, “A Guru must act as a confidante for the child in a manner that enables the child to accept himself or herself, become confident and take the right decisions independently. We must empower the child to hold his own in the world.” With a vision like that one suddenly realizes why Bal Vikas is one of the programs dearest to Swami.

The three day training may have been extremely interesting, but what made it exciting was the collective receptiveness of all the Gurus. One could feel the eagerness of even the senior most trainers who attended the sessions, to learn and to experiment with new ideas and deeper perspectives. While learning themselves, Bhagwan’s Bal Vikas Gurus unknowingly set inspiring examples of perennial enthusiasm and pristine humility which every Bal Vikas child would do well to emulate.

December 2009 - Group 2 Balvikas Gurus Training

Following the group I training camp for Bal vikas gurus held at the end of December 2009, the Educational Wing of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Mumbai, Maharashtra ushered in 2010 by organizing a Group II training camp for the Bal vikas Gurus at Dharmakshetra on 23rd and 24th of January. About 63 Group II gurus from Mumbai participated in the camp to reap the benefits of sharing ideas and enhancing knowledge. The Camp served as an ideal platform to discuss various ways in which Gita Shlokas, Bhajagovindam, Ramayana and Mahabharata, Lives of Saints may be handled so as to inspire the children and leave an indelible imprint in their hearts.

The strategies to make Bal vikas classes a stress buster for children who are ever burdened with academics was deliberated upon. Great emphasis was laid on the need to integrate values in the day to day lives of children and all the topics covered were discussed in this context. Further, the importance of giving ideal role models to the children from the epics and lives of great men was highlighted so as to keep them in Good company, a necessary pre-requisite for realizing the inherent Divinity.

The Camp served as an eye-opener by providing simple and lucid inputs to help cross the journey of life. Obstacles and problems are a part of everyone’s life, but at the end of the camp the Gurus left with the resolution to equip and fortify their children with adequate inputs to meet the challenges of life.