Sathya Sai Baba dies in India at 84

Sathya Sai Baba - 23 Nov. 1926 - April 24, 2011

Sathya Sai Baba died Sunday morning in Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh, India following multi-organ failure. He was 84.

Baba was born as Sathyanarayana Raju on 23 November 1926 and became a popular Indian guru, spiritual figure and educator who attracted a large global following of millions in nearly every country of the world.

Many of his followers considered him a incarnation of God. He was not an advocate of any religion and his philosophy attracted people of every religion, class and race.

Read Baba's views on religion and spirituality: Unity of Faith

Sathya Sai Baba and his organisations support a variety of free educational institutions, hospitals, and other charitable works in India and abroad.

The Sathya Sai Organisation reports that there are an estimated 1,200 Sathya Sai Baba Centers in 114 countries worldwide.

He was a cultural icon in India and drew an audience with presidents and prime ministers from India and beyond who have become his devotees; in 2002, he claimed to have followers in 178 countries.

Sathya Sai Baba was admitted to a hospital at on 28 March, 2011 with respiratory problems. His condition progressively deteriorated and he died on Sunday morning, April at 24. His funeral is scheduled for April 27.

His body would lie in state for two days. The state of Karnataka has declared 25 and 26 April as official days of mourning and Andhra Pradesh declared both days as well as the day of his funeral as a period of mourning.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and opposition leader Lal Krishna Advani offered their condolences as did local and provincial politicians.

In her message of condolence, the chairperson of India's governing party, Sonia Gandhi, said she was greatly pained over the death of Baba.

"The news of the death of Sai Baba of Puttaparthi has greatly pained me. He was a spiritual person in whom lakhs of people had faith. In his lifetime, he inspired the people of this country and those abroad towards spiritualism and religion," she said.

The Congress president hailed Sai Baba's contribution towards establishment of institutions for social welfare and said these would be remembered for a long time.

"His death has caused a big vacuum. At this sad hour, I express my deep condolences to his followers," Gandhi said.

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