Anand N S
B.Com, 1992-95, Brindavan

He made me a Chartered Accountant

I am yet to come to terms with the sudden loss of Ruchir sir. Anytime I think of him, the first few thoughts that come to my mind are his sharp intellect, his commitment to the cause of our Institute, and more importantly, his unwavering personal attention to each student in the class. For a student like me who had graduated from an average school with weak fundamentals, he was the mentor-in-chief. He would censure me many times during each semester, but as every semester passed by, I could see a big change in my academic performances. He laid the foundation for me to go on to become a Chartered Accountant in my very first attempt. He gave me the skills and instilled confidence in me. I owe that degree and all that followed to him alone. Beyond academics, he contributed immensely to shaping my personality, through his strict yet caring attitude. He is a teacher par excellence, a shining example of a Guru who dedicates his life to the betterment of his students. All I can pray to Swami is that I lead the rest of my life emulating Ruchir sir’s dedication to the betterment of the next generation. My sincere prayers to Swami to accept Ruchir sir at His lotus feet and help us all bear with this irreplaceable loss. Sairam.

Rathnakar Rayker
1990-93 BRN, 93-97 PSN

My Teacher By Example

It was my good fortune to be a Sai Student at Brindavan. Even though I was not a student of commerce, Ruchir sir taught me a lot in those 3 years. He was an example of excellence and humility. He would be part of the background team setting up the stage for the many activities. More than anything, I was amazed at how much he was in tune with Swami. When Swami would ask for something, he would already have it ready or be working on it. After all that work, he would stay in the background, not seeking any recognition. We will miss him dearly.

Karthik Venugopalan
1996-99, B.Com(Hons), Brindavan

Silent Teacher

It was a gift and a blessing to have spent three formative years in Brindavan under Ruchir sir’s guidance. Many students will recollect various incidents with him which shaped their outlook, careers, discipline and determination. He was a perfectionist and had his means to instill that perfection in all who were around him. Personally, my most important academic decision to pursue Cost Accounting was influenced by him; an example of how he impacted students without necessarily having to interact directly with thm. I also recollect my 3rd year in the hostel when I was the room leader for C8, the room right next to his. Every morning and evening, running into him in those divine corridors and imbibing subtle lessons which have come a long way in my life, are moments I relish in solitude when I think of Ruchir sir. He has reached his Divine mother! A journey fulfilled. Jai Sai Ram.

Siddartha Kartikeya
2003-06 Brindavan, 2006-10 Prasanthi Nilayam

I Wasn’t His Student, but He was My Teacher

I joined the Brindavan campus in 2003 in the Science stream. I always count it as a blessing to have been mentored by the Brindavan faculty. Among all the other great teachers there was Ruchir sir who is the epitome of perfection and humility. I have always admired his oratory skills and the expertise he demonstrated in organising activities like quizzes, Room Cleanliness Competitions and other activities. There was a deep sense of dedication in everything he did.
Ruchir sir was my Awareness class teacher, and he made a great impact on me with his lectures on subjects like the Unity of Religions that I can only imagine how excellent and perfect he must have been in his forte – Accounting and Commerce. Since I was a very shy student with very little confidence to speak publicly, I drew a great amount of courage from listening to Ruchir sir’s talks in the hostel and watching him conduct programmes.
I am very deeply saddened by his untimely passing. I truly cherish my short association with him, and I sincerely pray to Swami to bless him and always protect him wherever he is. I also pray to Swami to take care of Ruchir sir’s mother who gave a gem to this world in the form of Ruchir sir – an ideal teacher who has guided thousands of students. The character, courage and passion Ruchir sir showed in serving the divine mission of Swami is an inspiration for generations to come.

Vishal
2012-2015, B.Com

A Loving Teacher

The desire to become successful in life is a constant endeavour for every student. The motivation to excel is driven by the need to attain contentment – to see a proud smile on the face of their parents and teachers who have put in their efforts and prayers to help their child blossom. The same was the case with our dear Ruchir sir. He was an inspiration who always wanted to see Swami’s students achieve excellence in whatever they did.
When the bell would ring signalling the end of a 55 minute class by Ruchir sir, the notebooks of students would have been filled with invaluable wisdom that no textbooks could offer. Such was his mastery of the subject. Whether it was in the classroom or in the Stores, he ensured students always maintained decorum and were disciplined. Such was his personality – a strict disciplinarian. Whenever it was his turn to be in charge of the dinner service in the hostel, or giving the whole hostel a treat for his birthday, his love and warmth made him a parent to all the students. Such was his care and love for Swami’s students. Words are inadequate to express the deep sense of gratitude his students have for him. All that we can do is to pray to our dear Swami to keep Ruchir sir at His lotus feet, as that was sir’s only desire.