‘One caste, one religion, one language, one God’: Aishwarya Rai at Sri Sathya Sai Baba centenary alongside PM Modi

VIJAYAWADA: Actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday joined thousands of devotees at Puttaparthi for the birth centenary celebrations of Sri Satya Sai Baba, paying tribute to the spiritual leader’s teachings on service, compassion and unity.

Addressing the gathering, Aishwarya Rai she said, "There is only one caste, the caste of humanity. There is only one religion, the religion of love. There is only one language, the language of the heart, and there is only one God and He is omnipresent," she said.


She thanked the PM Modi for attending the ceremony. "I extend a heartfelt thank PM Narendra Modi ji, for being with us here today and for honouring this special occasion. I'm looking forward to listening to your wise words, impactful and inspiring as always, to enthral us today," she said.



"Your presence here adds sanctity and inspiration to this centenary celebration and reminds us of Swami's message that true leadership is service and service to man is service to God. Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba often spoke about the five D's. Five essential qualities needed for a meaningful, purposeful and spiritually anchored life — Discipline, Dedication, Devotion, Determination, and Discrimination," she added further.

Prime Minister Modi, who released a commemorative coin and a set of stamps marking the centenary, paid glowing tributes to the spiritual guru. He said Baba’s influence continued to guide followers across the world.

"Sri Satya Sai Baba's centenary celebration is not just a festival, but a divine boon. Though Sai Baba is not among us physically, his love and spirit of service are the guiding forces for crores of people," he said.

Modi noted that Sai Baba’s teachings had reached far beyond India’s borders. "In 140 countries, lakhs of Satya Sai Baba's devotees are getting new light, direction and moving forward," he said.

He emphasised that service lay at the core of Sai Baba’s philosophy. Calling the birth centenary “a festival of universal love, peace and service,” the Prime Minister said the values the guru espoused remained central to India’s civilisational ethos.

"All our diverse spiritual and philosophical traditions ultimately lead to this one idea, whether one walks the path of Bhakti, knowledge or karma," he added.