Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan of New Zealand Inc. in association with Shirdi Sai Global Foundation, Gurgaon, India organised a two-day Shirdi Sai Devotees Summit on February 27 and 28. The summit was attended by 29 delegates from countries such as the US, UK, Germany, Malaysia, Australia and India. Besides, good numbers of devotees and others from within New Zealand have participated in the event. Chief Guest Revered Dr C B Satpathy inaugurated the summit.
Prominent personalities who attended the summit included Shri Sadashiv Lokhande, Member of Parliament, Shirdi, India; Mr Phil Goff, MP—Mount Roskill, MP Kanwaljit Bakshi, MP Mahesh Bindra, MP Dr Paramjit Parmar, former MP Mr Richard Worth, Mr Giri Gupta, Chairman India Trade Alliance, Mr Venkat Raman and Mr Jeet Suchdeva of Bharatiya Samaj Trust.
The summit focussed on various community service initiatives taken up by different trusts and temples in their respective countries.
In his keynote address, Dr C B Satpathy, also known as Guru Ji, stressed on the fact that Shri Shirdi Sai Baba’s main focus was on community service. He cited various instances drawn from the holy book Sai Satcharita. He said all Sai temples should become effective community service centres.
In recognition of the yeoman service rendered by DrSatpathy, Phil Goff presented him with a plaque recognising him as an ‘Outstanding Global Humanitarian’. Mr Goff appreciated NZ Sai Sansthan’s decision to regularly support the Starship Foundation. The CEO of Starship Foundation Mr Brad Clark was presented with a NZ$12,000 cheque.. Shri Shirdi Saibaba Sansthanhas donated $5000 to Mr Robert Khan of Radio Tarana towards the cost of 250 food packets containing essential commodities, to be shipped to Fiji for distribution to the victims of recent tropical cyclone Winston. The sansthan along with Bharatiya Samaj Trust has also donated $7,500 to victims of Chennai floods and $2,500 to the victims of cyclone Winston in Fiji.
The local MPs and community leaders shared their thoughts about the projects the sansthan could take up in future such as helping the victims of domestic violence, establishing trauma centres, setting up of educational institutions and hospitals.