Sri Adichunchanagiri Shikshana Trust® (SAST) was started in the year 1973 with the objective of rendering social, charitable, educational and medical services blended with spiritualism to the people of Karnataka, India and the NRI community across the world under the stewardship of the pontiff of Sri Adichunchanagiri Math His Divine soul Padmabhushan Sri Sri Sri Dr. Balagangadharanatha Maha Swamiji.
The Trust is currently running over 500 educational and charitable institutions including three Engineering colleges, the prestigious Adichunchanagiri Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (BGSGIPS). and the associated hospital Adichunchanagiri Hospital and Research Centre (AH & RC), and the newly established BGS Global Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences(BGSGIPS).