I consider myself blessed to write for “Vidyullekha”- 95^th Birthday special issue. This gives me an opportunity to look back with moist eyes filled with gratitude, the fifteen years of my stay at His Lotus Feet from June 1974 till Oct 1989. The very first striking thought that occurs to me with all its force is that we students, over three generations now, are the most fortunate ones chosen by the Lord, out of His infinite Love, to train us to play our roles in His Mission Divine. He brought us near Him, showered His Love on us and prepared us however raw we might have initially been.

The most important factor that counts in our lives is the way in which we have responded to His call as on date. Each one of us would have possessed our own unique weaknesses and traits unacceptable to Him. He administered different remedies for different maladies and expected us to respond to Him with faith and love. While the present scenario of the various activities of the alumni does indicate that the transformation brought on us by Him is showing brightly, I am sure we all still have a long way to go in this journey. Some of us would recollect witnessing, hearing or reading about the unique event that took place during the Summer Course in Ooty in May-June 1976. This was a summer course exclusively meant for the students of  Brindavan and Anantapur.  Swami had created a medallion , at the end of His discourse on 5^th June 1976 , when I was also present as a student of B.Sc (MPC). Swami specifically mentioned that it contained the details of which student of His would be in which place carrying out Swami’s Mission. It can be imagined how thrilling it would have been for us all present on that occasion. It also implied that it had the information regarding the future students also.

One biggest lesson that I have learnt, looking at my life so far, is that everything that happens to us is His Sankalpa. As a school student, I started to take a liking for chemistry. But when it came to choosing an elective subject during the last two years of my school, my father intervened and forced me to take Mathematics, knowing full well that I did not have a good track record in that subject. At that time there was no maturity to take it as His Sankalpa. I did struggle during those two years but by Swami’s grace, I secured 85%. Then in the subsequent pre-university course, Swami made me teach a classmate of mine and the outcome was that I secured 100% in each of the two papers in Mathematics. These marks did physically help in my getting admission to the degree course in June 1974.  By the time I completed my B.Sc course, I was in full focus with Mathematics; When Swami got us the applications to apply for PG courses in Central College Bangalore, I had decided to go for M.Sc (Mathematics). By June 1979 when we completed our M.Sc courses, we were ready for Swami to appoint us as lecturers in His Institutions at Prasanthi Nilayam which were just started. Then  followed  the  career  of  teaching  and  more importantly the seva in various capacities as the hostel lecturer. 

As I wanted to be near Swami, I accepted this opportunity of lecturership that came my way. I used to have stage-fright and did not like to address an audience. During the process of overcoming this, I learnt that when we say Yes to Swami, He then takes care of our capabilities. 

Bigger lesson awaited me when I found myself facing about 70 students in a class of both genders in an Engineering college ten years later, wherein the way of life  and the behavioural patterns of those students were diametrically opposite to that of our Sai students in our institutions. Swami made me get over the cultural shock soon and the values that I had learnt at His Feet remained intact by His Grace and the students saw in me a teacher of a totally different character as well as caliber. Then I realized what a mission Swami had entrusted me with. 28 years of teaching mathematics with a dose of values in Engineering colleges has been very satisfying. Bhagawan also blessed me to keep myself connected to SSSIHL in a unique way for which I am grateful to this day.

Dr K. Sankarasubramanian B.Sc, M.Sc, Brindavan, Ph.D (first Ph.D awardee of SSSIHL), 1974 – 1987. He was blessed by Bhagawan to be a part of the play “Bhaja Govindam”, as well as to accompany Swami to Kashmir in June 1980. Mathematics lecturer in Swami’s institutions, 1979 – 1989. Presently he is leading a retired life after a successful teaching career spanning 39 years, active in Alumni activities in Chennai.