President Visits Chittoor's Satsang Foundation Ashram

President of India Ram Nath Kovind today received a warm welcome from Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and governor Biswa Bhushan Harichandan when he landed at the Chippili helipad.

The President came to Chittoor on a five-hour trip, during which he visited the sprawling Satsang Foundation ashram at Madanapalle, about 130 km away from Tirupati.

The ashram was set up by Padma Bhushan awardee Sri M, a disciple of Sri Maheshwarnath Babaji.

While at the Satsang, Kovind inaugurated the foundation's Bharat Yoga Vidya Kendra and its Rangashala, a recording studio. He also held an interactive session with the Centre's students later.

The President told the students that yoga was extremely beneficial in helping people stay healthy physically as well as otherwise.

He then participated in the foundation stone laying ceremony of a hospital - the 38-bed Swasthya Hospital, being opened for the benefit of the students, staff, local residents, and the Sugali tribal community from nearby villages, and launched a plantation drive on the ashram premises as well.

The President also visited the Peepal Grove School at Sadum, which is run by the foundation, and inaugurated an indoor badminton court on its premises.

There too, he interacted with the students before heading back to the national capital at about 5:00 pm.

In preparation for the President's visit, the district administration had made elaborate arrangements yesterday - district Collector Hari Narayanan and Superintendent of Police S Senthil Kumar supervised the preparations, and also inspected the Madanapalle ashram before his arrival.