If Sai Baba himself is writing his own story, why does the book credit someone named 'Hemadpant'? That sounds like a contradiction.

The text in Chapter 2 addresses this apparent contradiction by explaining the nature of the author's role. Sai Baba is quoted as stating, "He is merely a pretext; I myself shall write my own story!" The condition for this divine assistance is that the devotee, who is later named Hemadpant, must dissolve his ego and surrender completely. When the ego is gone, Sai Baba says, "Then I myself shall enter with 'I-ness' and write with my own hand." Therefore, while Hemadpant is the physical writer, the narrative presents the inspiration, content, and spiritual force behind the work as originating directly from Sai Baba, making the human author a chosen instrument rather than a traditional author, as explained in Chapter 2.