Portait of Sathya Sai Baba                            Photo of Sathya Sai Baba in Ram Mandir

Sathya Sai Baba

born Sathyanarayana Raju on 23 November 1926 is a South Indian guru, religious figure, educator and orator. He is described by his devotees as an avatar, godman, spiritual teacher, and miracle worker He has repeatedly claimed to be the reincarnation of the fakir and saint, Sai Baba of Shirdi,often recounting extensive and detailed accounts of the fakir's lifeOther reiterations of Sathya Sai Baba’s claim to be the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, and his claims of Divinity made during the early years of his Mission, are recorded in the volumes of Sathya Sai Speaks.

The Sathya Sai Organization reports that there are an estimated 1,200 Sathya Sai Baba Centers in 114 countries worldwideThe number of Sathya Sai Baba adherents is estimated to be somewhere around 6 million, although followers cite anywhere from 50 to 100 million.