An Evening Divine in Belagavi: A Collective Step Towards an Anaemia-Free Future
The fifth edition of “An Evening Divine” was held in Belagavi on 11 August 2026, bringing together an inspiring dialogue on nutrition, anaemia prevention, maternal and child wellbeing, and the power of collective action.
A key focus of the evening was the need to address nutritional deficiencies among adolescent girls and women. In a conversation with educationist and founder of Naikar Education Society, Dr C N Naikar, Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai shared the vision of making Belagavi an anaemia-free district through early and sustained nutritional intervention.
Sadguru emphasised that nutrition must begin at the right stage of life. He explained that when multi-nutrient supplementation is introduced only at later stages, the body’s ability to absorb and utilise nutrients may be limited—a phenomenon he referred to as “reductive adaptability.” Hence, the proposed initiative would begin with girls from around 13–14 years of age, with a focus on women and adolescent girls.
At the heart of this initiative is SaiSure Ragi Multi Nutrient Health Mix, the flagship nutritional intervention of Sri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust. SaiSure is designed to bridge nutritional gaps during crucial stages of growth, helping address both inner hunger—the body’s need for nourishment—and outer hunger—the lack of adequate food and nutrition.
Speaking about the proposed initiative, Sadguru shared that each serving of SaiSure would cost approximately ₹2 per day, with the One World One Family Mission contributing ₹1 and inviting the community and institutions to contribute the remaining ₹1. With collective participation, the vision is to ensure that no girl suffers from nutritional deficiency.
Sadguru also shared an encouraging experience from Bagepalli, where, according to information conveyed by government officials, there had been no neonatal deaths or failed pregnancies at the hospital over the preceding year, in the context of SaiSure Ragi Multi Nutrient Health Mix being provided to girls and pregnant women. He expressed the possibility of taking this success further—to work together towards zero maternal and infant mortality in Belagavi.
“No child should be born with deformities because of nutritional deficiency. The birth of every child should be a happy moment, not a sad moment.”
The proposed Belagavi initiative would be undertaken in collaboration with Karnatak Lingayat Education Society (KLE). KLE Honorary Chairman Dr Prabhakar Kore immediately offered KLE’s ₹1 contribution towards the proposed ₹2-per-day nutrition support—an inspiring demonstration of how shared responsibility can transform a vision into action.
Through its Morning Nutrition Programme, Annapoorna Trust has been working to ensure that children begin their school day nourished and ready to learn. With SaiSure reaching children across communities, the Trust’s work goes beyond providing a meal—it seeks to strengthen nutrition during the formative years and create a healthier foundation for life.
Sadguru concluded with a timeless message inspired by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba:
“If you think of something good, do it immediately. If bad thoughts come, postpone them. There is no need to search for an auspicious time to do good—every moment is auspicious for doing good.”
The evening also celebrated the transformative power of education and culture, with performances by students of Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Gurukulam institutions, – the Sai Symphony Orchestra—India’s largest symphony orchestra, comprising over 200 students from rural India.
From nutrition to anaemia prevention, from maternal wellbeing to child health, the message from Belagavi was one of hope and collective responsibility:
Together, we can nourish our girls, protect our mothers, safeguard our children and build a healthier, anaemia-free Belagavi.
