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Sathya Sai Baba

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Religious Figure

The Resume

    (November 23, 1926-April 24, 2011)
    Born in Puttaparthi, India
    Birth name was Sathyanarayana Raju
    Indian guru/spiritual teacher
    Founded the Sathya Sai Organization
    Had 6 to 50 million followers (depending on whose estimates you believe)

Why he might be annoying:

    He miraculously produced holy ash, food and jewelry. (Or, according to critics, used sleight of hand to pluck the objects from hiding places, such as his big-ass afro.)
    His ashram featured a larger-than-life solid-gold statue of himself.
    Several young male followers claimed that he groped them during private audiences.
    UNESCO cancelled a conference at his ashram, citing concerns over 'widely-reported allegations of sexual abuse.'
    As the reports of abuse spread, he banned his followers from browsing the internet.
    He said he would die at age 96 and be reincarnated eight years later, a prediction now guaranteed to have a maximum accuracy of 50%.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He did not require followers to give up their original religion.
    His mottos included 'Love all, serve all' and 'Help ever, hurt never.'
    He established a hospital that provided free medical care for over 250,000 patients.
    His trust funded development projects that brought clean water and sanitation to hundreds of thousands of people in southern India.
    The only lawsuit filed against him by an alleged abuse victim was dismissed from a California court due to a lack of evidence (2006).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 94 Votes: 69.15% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 15 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 29 Votes: 51.72% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 69 Votes: 50.72% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 21 Votes: 52.38% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 24 Votes: 79.17% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 133 Votes: 75.94% Annoying