Editing Sathya Sai Baba (section)

==Sathya Sai International Organization==
{{Main|Sri Sathya Sai International Organization}}

[[File:Sathya Sai Baba 2013 stamp of India.jpg|thumb|Sathya Sai Baba on a 2013 stamp of India|299x299px]]
The Sri Sathya Sai International Organization was founded in the 1960s by Sathya Sai Baba.<ref name="srisaiorg">{{Cite web|url=http://www.srisathyasai.org.in/Pages/Sai_Organisations/Sai_Organisations.htm|title=SSSCT- Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation|work=srisathyasai.org.in}}</ref> Initially called the "Sri Sathya Sai Seva Samithi",<ref name="saiindia">{{Cite web|url=http://www.saibabaofindia.com/sai_baba_centers.htm|title=Sai Baba Of India – Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centers – Sai Baba organisation worldwide|work=saibabaofindia.com}}</ref> it was established "to enable its members to undertake service activities as a means to spiritual advancement."<ref name="srisaiorg" /> In 2020, Sri Satya Sai Central Trust was granted [[List of organizations with consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council|Special Consultative]] status by the [[United Nations Economic and Social Council]].<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/un-body-confers-special-status-on-sri-sathya-sai-central-trust/article32950161.ece|website= [[The Hindu]]|title= UN body confers special status on Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust|date= 27 October 2020}}</ref>

The [[Sri Sathya Sai International Organization|Sathya Sai International Organization]] reports that there are an estimated 1,200 Sathya Sai Baba Centres in 114 countries.<ref name="TheStarOnline84">{{Cite web |url=http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/12/3/north/5212802&sec=North |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521155709/http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=%2F2009%2F12%2F3%2Fnorth%2F5212802&sec=North |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 May 2011 |title=Sai Baba turns 84 |publisher=Thestar.com.my |date=3 December 2009 |access-date=6 January 2010 }}</ref><ref name="SathyaSaiNumbers">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sathyasai.org/organize/content.htm#SaiOrg|title=The Sai Organization: Numbers to Sai Centres and Names of Countries|publisher=Sathyasai.org|access-date=6 January 2010}}</ref> However, the number of active Sai Baba followers is hard to determine.<ref name="BabbLawrence" /> Estimates vary from 6&nbsp;million<ref>{{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20031219053543/http://adherents.com/Na/Na_581.html#3510 Adherents]}} cites [[George Chryssides|Chryssides, George]]. ''Exploring New Religions''. London, UK: Cassells (1999) (10 million)<br />*Brown, Mick (2000-10-28). "Divine Downfall". ''The Daily Telegraph''. [https://web.archive.org/web/20031003134741/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2000/10/28/tlbaba28.xml]. Retrieved 2007-03-12<br />*Edwards, Linda (2001). A Brief Guide to Beliefs: Ideas, Theologies, Mysteries, and Movements. Westminster John Knox Press. {{ISBN|0664222595}}.</ref> up to nearly 100&nbsp;million.<ref>''[[The Economist]]'', [http://www.economist.com/node/18678803 "Sai Baba"], 14 May 2011, p. 110.</ref> In India itself, Sai Baba drew followers predominantly from the [[upper-middle-class]], the urban sections of society who have the "most wealth, education and exposure to Western ideas."<ref name="UrbanHugh74">{{Cite journal|last=Urban|first=Hugh B.|author-link=Hugh Urban|year=2003|title=Avatar for Our Age: Sathya Sai Baba and the Cultural Contradictions of Late Capitalism|journal=[[Religion (journal)|Religion]]|publisher=[[Elsevier]]|volume=33|issue=1|page=74|doi=10.1016/S0048-721X(02)00080-5|s2cid=143800572|issn=0048-721X|eissn=1096-1151}}</ref> In 2002, he said he had followers in 178 countries.<ref name="nyt1dec2002">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/01/world/a-friend-in-india-to-all-the-world.html?pagewanted=1|title=A Friend in India to All the World|last=Bradsher|first=Keith|date=1 December 2002|work=The New York Times|access-date=13 January 2010}}</ref><ref name="Palmer97-98">Palmer, Norris W. "Baba's World". In: {{Cite book|last1=Forsthoefel|first1=Thomas A.|editor-last=Humes|editor-first=Cynthia Ann |title=Gurus in America|url=https://archive.org/details/gurusamericasuny00fors|url-access=limited|place=Albany, NY|publisher=State University of New York Press|year=2005|pages=[https://archive.org/details/gurusamericasuny00fors/page/n105 97]–98|isbn=978-0791465745}}</ref>

Sathya Sai Baba founded a large number of schools and colleges, hospitals, and other charitable institutions in India and abroad, the net financial capital of which is usually estimated at {{INR}} 400&nbsp;billion (US$9&nbsp;billion).<ref>
{{Cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/sathya-sai-baba-passes-away-leaves-behind-rs-40000-cr-worth-empire-with-no-clear-succession-plan/articleshow/8075953.cms|title=Sathya Sai Baba passes away, leaves behind Rs 40,000-cr worth empire with no clear succession plan
|newspaper=[[The Economic Times|Economic Times]] | date=25 April 2011 |quote=Sai Baba leaves behind a wide network of charitable institutions, hospitals, schools, colleges, which some estimate to be worth about Rs 40,000 crore}}</ref><ref name="it">{{Cite magazine|title=Up in the Heir: The secret world of Sathya Sai Baba's Rs 40,000 cr empire |author=Amarnath K. Menon |magazine=[[India Today]] |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/story/sathya-sai-baba-health-scare-assets-transition/1/135354.html |date=25 April 2011 |access-date=9 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424073421/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/story/sathya-sai-baba-health-scare-assets-transition/1/135354.html |archive-date=24 April 2011 }}</ref><ref name="dh">{{Cite news| title =Sai Baba's death leaves question mark on Rs 40,000 crore empire| author =Indo-Asian News Service| newspaper = [[Deccan Herald]]| url = http://www.deccanherald.com/content/156224/sai-babas-death-leaves-question.html| date = 24 April 2011|access-date =9 June 2011| author-link =Indo-Asian News Service}}</ref> However, estimates as high as {{INR}} 1.4&nbsp;trillion (about US$31.5bn) have also been made.<ref>{{Cite news| title =Sathya Sai Baba trust worth Rs 1.4 lakh crore?|publisher =[[CNN-IBN]]| url =http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sathya-sai-baba-trust-worth-rs-14-lakh-crore/150273-3.html| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110430001702/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sathya-sai-baba-trust-worth-rs-14-lakh-crore/150273-3.html| url-status =dead| archive-date =30 April 2011| date =26 April 2011| access-date =9 June 2011}}</ref>
Sri Sathya Sai Baba's 100th Birthday Celebrations have been commemorated by [https://www.sathyasai.org/100-birthday-logo-download a specially designed logo created by the SSSIO]. It is a humble and sincere effort to capture the uniqueness of Sri Sathya Sai Baba in this logo.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Special Logo for 100th Birthday of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba |url=https://www.sathyasai.org/100-birthday-logo-download}}</ref>