Madhusudan Naidu and the story of the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospitals

Let’s understand the realism of the healing power of the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospitals . The story is beautiful, touching, and pretty unbelievable. Two people, Madhusudan Naidu and C Sreenivas were guided by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in the ‘subtle’, and they embarked on an unknown journey, not knowing what to expect. All that their Master told them was, “We will start a heart Hospital for little children in Naya Raipur.” And off they went to Chhattisgarh. Madhusudan Naidu, an alumnus from the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning who bagged two gold medals for all his hard work and brilliance, hailed from Chhattisgarh. At that time in mid 2011, Madhusudan Naidu was a young successful banker who had just given up a blooming career to follow his heart and his Master, and wasn’t sure at all on how to proceed. A tall order it was, ‘let’s build a hospital’, but Madhusudan Naidu had the courage and conviction that if the Master has spoken, then it was to manifest! And for Sri C Sreenivas? Well, it was like walking into a land he had absolutely no clue about! But, just look at the conviction, strength, grit and tenacity of this man...he moved lock, stock and barrel to Naya Raipur. Through rain and storm, heat and more heat, braving every challenge, he walked door to door, met scores of people, simply to ensure Swami’s word would not fail! Many people say, if Swami says something it must happen! But little do they realise that if He has spoken, to make His word manifest, the effort on the part of humans is definitely required! Divine Sankalpa combined with human effort is the divine recipe for every act. 

Let us unravel the inside story of this wonderful chain of hospitals.

Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital, Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh

While Madhusudan Naidu played the catalyst to bring the thought of the hospital at Naya Raipur, C Sreenivas (former member of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Puttaparthi until year 2008) championed the humane cause of curing little hearts to give the world massive gifts of new lives, taking care to abide by the four founding principles of all the Sathya Sai Healthcare Institutions which are: Healthcare for all without any discrimination, Healthcare offered free of cost, Healthcare with compassion and love and Healthcare for spiritual care. Of course, the question was why a pediatric cardiac hospital. Upon some research it was evident that the burden and pain of Congenital Heart Diseases (CHD) on children and their families is a cruel and unfortunate reality of our times. Sadly, it is the commonest disease at birth in India and its curative care is inadequate and often inaccessible. With close to three lakh children born every year with CHD and prevalence of 25 million of the population with CHD, the need was to establish pediatric cardiac care facilities to share the National and Global burden of CHD.

Under Baba’s direct guidance through Madhusudan Naidu, the job was executed to the letter and the Divine compassion manifested itself as the lands, the buildings, the doctors, the technicians, the support staff and not least of all, the little angelic cherubs who made the entire team feel lucky for the heaven-sent opportunities.

In the city of Naya Raipur, the capital of the central state of Chhattisgarh, the very first heart-shaped edifice, Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Centre for Child Heart Care, came about as a representation of India’s heart full of love and compassion. November 23, 2012 was the D-day for the Hospital emerging alive with the commencement of services and since then, it has been on a tread mill of philanthropic adventure of curative care. For Madhusudan Naidu and C Sreenivas, it was a day when His word had seen fruition. 

Also, a dedicated Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Lab started functioning at the Hospital from October 2017, and India’s first free-of-cost Pediatric Cardiac Sub-Specialty Clinics were also established at this Centre in February 2018.

Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani International Centre for Child Heartcare and Research, Baghola, Palwal district - Haryana

And then, plans for a second shoot emerged northward at Baghola, Palwal district, Haryana in November 2016, just an hour’s drive from the country’s capital. This Centre carried an added feather to its cap, as the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani International Centre for Child Heartcare and Research. Apart from conducting cardiac surgeries and consultations, this hospital is also research-oriented towards a systematic approach for creating new knowledge about the root causes of congenital heart diseases in children. The research studies are underway since June 2018 with the inauguration of what would become India’s largest Biobank for CHD. 

The two hospitals worked hand in glove to successfully perform close to 6000 child heart surgeries and over 60,000 little hearts mended already free of cost! No cash counters absolutely! Well, of course we are talking about an Institution based on the philosophy of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, ‘every child born should have access to free healthcare, nutrition and education!’

These hospitals are not just Centres where children go under the knife or otherwise, but they are also Centres where anyone who comes in touch with the Sanjeevani culture and experience, sing a different tune for their own life and the lives around them, which is enriched sanguinity. And unique initiatives are an added impetus to the Sanjeevani medical team.

‘Matru Chhaya’ is an initiative where the mothers are trained and counselled to take care of their children during pre-operative and post-operative periods. 

‘Doctors with compassion’ is an orientation programme to shift gears of the medical profession by converting ‘doctors’ to ‘healers’. 

‘Gift of life’ is yet another conceptualisation of entrusting the child back to their parents as a regenerated life, that carries the highest value.

Sri Sathya Sai Sowbhagyam Centre for Human Development, Naya Raipur 

Sri Sathya Sai Sowbhagyam Centre for Human Development, right next to the Hospital in Naya Raipur is a magnificent architecture that provides the much-needed energy for the vitality of every life to thrive fully. Art and cultural programmes by renowned artists, educational activities, international conferences, sessions for spiritual raptures, fitness disports take place in this Centre.

Any good work is God’s work, it is said. And of course all good work does get noticed. The Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Centre for Child Heart care was adjudged as ‘The Best Hospital’ in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra by eminent media channel, IBC 24, after the Hospital completed 1000 pediatric cardiac surgeries in June 2015. Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Centre for Child Heart care was also awarded the SACH BHARAT SAMMAN 2015 by ASSOCHAM, Times Foundation and SREI Foundation in recognition for ‘Spirituality at Work’.

ASSOCHAM’S MEDCON Congress, the flagship Health Summit of ASSOCHAM – The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India, held in March 2016 recognised these hospitals as the ‘Best Single Speciality Hospital of the Year’ in India.

And Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani’s magnanimity is not just confined to India! It is worth noting that a delegation from the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Team from Naya Raipur went to Fiji Islands in August 2016 and April 2018 to give the gift of life to 49 little hearts by conducting Pediatric Cardiac Surgeries, totally free-of-cost in coordination with the Sai Prema Foundation, Fiji. This was under the ‘Overseas Child Heart Care Mission in Developing Countries Initiative’ by Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital at the CWM Hospital, Suva, Fiji. The acting Prime Minister, Attorney General and Minister for Economy of Fiji Islands, Hon. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum met the ten-member medical team and shared his deepest gratitude for the team.  After all, can there be any boundaries that differentiates the anatomy of the physical hearts or the emotions that lie within, from country to country?

Prime Minister of India, Mr Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Mr Raman Singh and the then Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Venkaiah Naidu at Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital in Naya Raipur 

Esteemed personalities like the Hon. Prime Minister of India, Mr Narendra Modi who inaugurated both the Hospitals, Current Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, Internationally renowned boxing champion, Mary Kom, the ever-green cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, ‘Master Blaster’ Sachin Tendulakar, and scores of others have been passionate patrons of this movement. As they step inside these temples of healing, they are indeed overcome with a deep sense of gratitude to Sri Sathya Sai Baba for He is one who showed the way to this glorious initiative of mending little hearts to Madhusudan Naidu and C Sreenivas, the two men, nay...missionaries in 2011.

The story of Sanjeevani has turned over a new leaf leading to its next exciting chapter. Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Centre for Child Heartcare and Training in Pediatric Cardiac Skills will be inaugurated at Kharghar, Navi Mumbai in November 2018. The ground-breaking ceremony for this new Hospital was held in November 2017 and was performed by Sri Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Sri Sachin Tendulkar. The unique aspect about this Centre is that, apart from surgeries and consultations, it will operate a training centre for surgeons and para medical professionals.

And on Tuesday, July 17, 2018 another chapter will open with the inauguration of 'Chirayu Chhattisgarh Centre of Excellence in Pediatric Cardiac Care and Training' at Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Centre for Child Heart Care in collaboration with the Government of Chhattisgarh in the presence of Dr Raman Singh, Honourable Chief Minister, Government of Chhattisgarh. ‘Chirayu Chhattisgarh’, an endeavour to detect and cure infants and children with heart diseases, was launched by Government of Chhattisgarh and Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Centre for Child Heart Care, Naya Raipur on August 05, 2017. 

From that first day at Naya Raipur to this very day in Mumbai, it’s been a long journey for the team at Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani, Sri C Sreenivas and Madhusudan Naidu. A complete Healthcare system – Preventive, Educative and Curative! Sanjeevani is the only assured hope and the only certain beginning for every child’s heart across the globe!