From a young age, he has been alleged to have been capable of materialising objects such as food and sweets out of thin air. He was uncommonly talented in devotional music, dance and drama.
Īs a child, he was described as "unusually intelligent" and charitable, though not necessarily academically inclined, as his interests were of a more spiritual nature. Sathya Sai Baba's siblings included elder brother Ratnakaram Seshama Raju (1911–1985), elder sisters Venkamma (1918–1993) and Parvathamma (1920–1998), and younger brother Janakiramaiah (1931–2003). He was the fourth among the five children of his parents.
His birth was alleged by his mother Easwaramma to be of a miraculous conception. According to these sources, Sathya Narayana Raju was born on 23 November 1926 to Meesaraganda Easwaramma and Peddavenkama Raju Ratnakaram, to a Bhatraju family, a community of religious musicians and balladeers, in the village of Puttaparthi which was the Madras Presidency of British India.
Through this organisation, Sathya Sai Baba established a network of free super speciality hospitals and general hospitals, clinics, drinking water projects, a university, auditoriums, ashrams and schools. The Sathya Sai Organisation, founded by Sathya Sai Baba "to enable its members to undertake service activities as a means to spiritual advancement", has over 1,200 Sathya Sai Centres (branches) in 126 countries. Multiple studies have concluded that his acts were based on sleight of hand or had other explanations that were not supernatural, although his devotees believe them to be signs of his divinity. Sai Baba's believers credited him with miracles such as materialisations of vibhuti (holy ash) and other small objects such as rings, necklaces and watches, along with reports of miraculous healings, resurrections, clairvoyance, bilocation and was allegedly omnipotent and omniscient. At the age of fourteen he claimed that he was the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, and left his home to serve his devotees. Shirdi Sai Baba breathed his last on October 25, 1918.Sathya Sai Baba (born Ratnakaram Sathyanarayana Raju 23 November 1926 – 24 April 2011) was an Indian guru. He felt that one could attain the ultimate goal of reaching god only by truly serving humanity. His most concise message for one and all was: “Why fear when I am here.” He claimed no possessions nor accepted any disciples or gave any specific teachings. He did not belong to any single tradition but to all mankind on the path of goodness, love and understanding. He lived with them, slept and ate with them. Sai Baba strongly believed in the uniformity of religion. Soon, people realised that this Baba was not ordinary but a person with extraordinary godly powers. Later, he started addressing the problems of villagers and devotees started streaming into Shirdi in ever-growing numbers. Nobody knew from where this stranger had come who hardly spoke a word and stayed there. Sai Baba, a personification of spiritual perfection and an epitome of compassion, lived in the little village of Shirdi in Maharashtra. Shirdi Sai Baba was born on September 28, 1835.