About the Samiti
Founded in 1970 by a band of young residents of Esplanade Mansion, Kala Ghoda.
The beginning
The Sri Sai Baba Pooja Samiti (SSBPS) was set up in 1970 by a band of well-educated youngsters residing at Esplanade Mansion, Kala Ghoda, in South Mumbai, to promote the spiritual welfare of people, especially those from the downtrodden sections of society.
The Samiti initially performed an annual pooja of Sri Sai Baba on the auspicious day of Diwali. Since 1980 it has also held a weekly pooja every Thursday. Hundreds of devotees, including VIPs, were regular visitors at the Samiti's Sai Baba Mandir at Kala Ghoda.
The transformation: service to man is service to God
The Samiti realised that the best way to worship the Almighty is through social work, by working for the upliftment of the less fortunate. Its focus shifted from pooja to social work, and it created five funds: Vidya Dan, Arogya Dan, Anna Dan, Vastra Dan and Mahila Vikas.
- Scholarships to nearly 1,600 students in schools and colleges across Mumbai.
- Free school bags to more than 1,000 students of municipal schools in Andheri, Colaba and Borivli.
- Free teaching aids to 50 autistic students of Sri Sai Baba Residential School for Autistic Children, Shirdi, in 2009, sponsored by Sir Ratan Tata Trust.
- Financial help to more than 750 patients with cancer, heart and kidney ailments, plus free medical check-up and blood donation camps.
- Free uniforms to nearly 1,000 students of KBS High School and Bora Bazar Municipal School.
- Around 1,500 people fed every Diwali under Anna Dan for more than 35 years.
- Three girls adopted for free education up to graduation, and nearly 500 women trained in tailoring at our Borivli branch office.
- Among the first to send aid to victims of the Latur earthquake and the Orissa cyclone.
Until 1988 the Samiti also organised annual inter-collegiate debating and talent competitions at Alexandra Girls' High School, Fort, to bring out the hidden talents of young people.
Honoured guests
It is said that nobody who went to Shirdi seeking Sai Baba's help came back empty-handed. In the same spirit, no one who approaches the Samiti for help goes back disappointed. Over the years, many dignitaries have attended the Samiti's anniversary functions and praised its selfless work, including:
Union Cabinet Minister Smt. Jayawantiben Mehta; Maharashtra Cabinet Ministers Mr Raj Purohit, Mr Eknath Gaikwad, Dr Lalita Rao and Dr V. Subramanian; Police Commissioners J. F. Ribeiro and Arvind Inamdar; Mayors of Bombay Mr Sharad Acharya and Nirmala Prabhawalkar; Justice Radhakrishnan of the Bombay High Court; MLAs Mr Murli Deora, Mr Patrawala and Mrs Annie Shekhar; Sheriff of Bombay Mr Nana Chudasama; and Corporator Mr Vinod Shekhar.
Trustees & committees
Trustees, 2023–2028
- Prof. Keshav H. Karkera
- Mr Ravindra D. Shenava
- Mr Ravindra M. Shetty
- Mr Jaya S. Shetty
- Mr Sudhakar M. Shetty
Managing Committee, 2024–2027
- PresidentMr Madhav S. Shetty
- Vice PresidentMr Jaya S. Shetty
- Hon. Gen. SecretaryProf. K. H. Karkera
- Joint SecretaryMr Ramesh B. Shetty
- Hon. TreasurerMr Ravindra D. Shenava
- Joint TreasurerMr Bhaskar M. Shetty
Committee members: Mr Murli Agniswar, Mr Ramesh Poojary, Mr Satish G. Bhandary, Mr Ravi S. Shetty, Mr Prasad G. Shetty, Mr Vidyadhar N. Shetty, Mr Pradeep N. Suvarna, Mr Harshad B. Shetty
Fund-Raising Committee
- Hon. ChairmanMr Murli Agniswar
- Vice ChairmanMr Vidyadhar N. Shetty
- SecretaryMr Parikshith N. Rai
Members: Mr Seetaram S. Shetty, Mr Chandrashekhar S. Shetty, Mr Jaya M. Shetty, Mr Jaya S. Shetty, Mr Prasad G. Shetty, Mr Ranjit Gaur
Souvenir Committee
- Hon. ChairmanMr Sudhakar M. Shetty
- Vice ChairpersonMr Bhaskar M. Shetty
- SecretaryMr Ramesh B. Shetty
Members: Mr Ravindra M. Shetty, Mr Yadav L. Puthran, Mr Pradeep N. Suvarna, Mr Krishna N. Devadiga, Mr Parithosh N. Rai, Mr Sharan Murli, Mr Shekhar Shetty, Mr Shankar R. Shetty
Program & Stage Committee
- Hon. ChairmanMr Satish G. Bhandary
- Vice ChairpersonMiss Radhika R. Shenava
- SecretaryMr Ramesh Poojary
Members: Mr Bhasker M. Shetty, Mr Vidyadhar N. Shetty, Mr Ravi S. Shetty, Mr Aboobakar G., Mrs Kamala S. Shetty, Mrs Pramodini K. Karkera, Mrs Akshata S. Shetty, Mrs Sarika R. Shetty, Mrs Sarojini R. Shetty, Miss Divya Bhasker Shetty, Mrs Greshma H. Shetty, Miss Sanvi Sudhakar Shetty, Mrs Nikita K. Pawar, Mrs Pramila S. Bhandary, Mrs Rashmi A. Shetty, Mrs Mallika R. Poojary
Internal auditor: M/s. Krishna Nayak & Co., Chartered Accountants, Borivli, Mumbai 400092.