Swami says, in Kali-yuga, the easiest way to divinity is Nama Sankeertana. Nama Sankeertana practised through eternally blissful Sai Bhajans is the surest way to win HIS grace. It is this invaluable gift of Bhajans that drew me to Swami’s fold at the age of 7.  The world would stop for me at 4.30 pm every Saturday as I got drawn closer and closer to our beloved Swami with each Bhajan session. The unbreakable bonding with his physical form happened on a mild winter morning at Sundaram, Chennai in January 1983 and there is no looking back since then. The urge to be part of the unparalleled institution SSSIHL grew gradually in me. Before giving the entrance exams for the UG program I had an opportunity to visit Kodai for Swami’s darshan. Swami’s car gently rolled out of Sai Shruti and I happened to be on the path leading to Swami’s mandir. As the car rolled by Swami looked straight into my eyes and I was knocked over for the next hour, by then I knew deep within Swami will accept me as HIS property. From then on, everything would go as per HIS plan. The next thing I knew was that I got selected for the B.Com program and I had to report at Brindavan within a few days. My parents were not at home at that time, but nothing could stop the Divine calling. I landed at Brindavan for the summer course.  

What else could one aspire for than being under Swami’s direct supervision in one’s formative years? Every single virtue that I have today – calm demeanour, working with people from different cultures, fluency in communication, a strong moral compass, academic depth – was shaped during my days at Brindavan. The environment of brotherhood created by the fellow students and the firm yet caring attitude of the highly dedicated teachers helped nurture the calm personality that everyone interacting with me even today can pulse. The main draw during the college days continued to be Bhajans, and perhaps it is my love for Bhajans that gave me the most cherished moments of singing in front of Swami on quite a few occasions. 

One incident that I particularly reflect upon very often is a chance darshan of Swami at Poornachandra auditorium during one of the practice sessions for the Sports Meet. Out of nowhere, Swami appeared on the dais with a bunch of laminated photographs. As would be the case always, all of us flocked towards Swami with outstretched hands hoping to get hold of one from HIS divine hands. Something told me to move a step back from the group and pray intensely for the privilege of receiving one. Swami held out his hand and thrust upon me a beautiful photograph of Swami superimposed on a serene background, the mainstay in our Altar even today. My biggest takeaway from that incident was: if we pray sincerely and wait for our turn HE will bless us with things that will stay with us forever.

I could not join the cherished MBA program of SSSIHL but as I wrote before, HE always knows what is best for us. I went on to complete CA and CS with much ease thanks to Swami’s immense grace. I also got to do an MBA from one of the premier institutes but the only alma mater that matters is, and will always be, SSSIHL. Currently, as I serve as the Global Vice President of Zoho Corporation, the value-based education that I was privileged to receive continues to guide me throughout my professional pursuits be it managing a team, building a partnership, navigating a tricky situation or handling an ethical dilemma.  One of the best validations of this came when my ex-colleague acknowledged my ability to hold on to the moral values, with such ease even in the most pressing moments, as the most valuable trait in me. It comes naturally to us Sai brothers that we hardly ever notice it, but to the outside world, it is such a stark contrast that we stand out in the society. The Premabandham with our beloved Swami gets stronger and stronger with each passing year. The annual privilege of being at HIS lotus feet as part of the Premabandham on the 1^st of Jan every year for the past 9 years is the guiding spirit that drives the rest of the year for me and my family. My children are now part of the Bal Vikas program and are being moulded by the dedicated Bal Vikas gurus on the values shared with us by our beloved Bhagawan. With the blessings of Swami, I am beginning to contribute to the mission of SAI through SSSO and I do hope and pray that Swami uses me as an instrument in carrying out his divine mission. The most loved activity for me, even here, remains the Sai Bhajans that fills my heart every single time I get a chance to participate in.

N. S. Anand B.Com (Hons.), 1992 – 1995, Brindavan. Currently Vice President – Revenue Management Growth at Zoho Corporation based in Chennai.