DR V. PANDURANGA RAO, OUR BELOVED ENGLISH TEACHER
Professor Panduranga Rao attained the Lotus Feet of Bhagawan on March 12, 2018.
Passion reflecting deep love for Swami: Dr. Viswanath Jandhyala
Dr V. Panduranga Rao, is a name very familiar to most students of the Prasanthi Nilayam campus of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL), who have done their under graduation in the campus, since 2002. Dr. Panduranga Rao, a grandfatherly figure to most undergraduate students of the University, was a person to whom many students looked up to with great respect and love.
Professor Panduranga Rao Sir, as he was lovingly addressed by the students had joined the Department of English, in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus of the SSSIHL in 2002, after having taught for 37 long years in the Sri Venkateswara college in Delhi University.
Born in the pre-independence era in September 1936, Sir had an exemplary academic record securing a University Gold Medal during his under graduation from the Andhra University and thereafter securing his masters and doctoral degrees. Quite interestingly the title of his Ph.D. thesis was ‘The Art of R. K. Narayan’ for which he was conferred upon his doctoral degree in the year 1965.
Author of the first novel published by Penguin Books India
Widely travelled across the world, Professor Rao also has to his credit fictional writings, among several others. His novel titled Fowl-Filcher published by the Penguin Books India, New Delhi in 1987 is considered to be the first original novel published by Penguin India in their inaugural batch. Professor Rao was a committed R.K. Narayan aficionado and every once in a while used to write critically about the life work of R.K. Narayan.
His passion reflected his incredible love for Swami
Ours was the first batch of students to have been taught English by Sir, in their under graduation years in SSSIHL and each class of his was truly enjoyable and suffused with anecdotes and experiences. With a remarkably unique style of teaching, his vast knowledge and proficiency of the subject he taught, and his absolutely imaginative and illustrative narrations, he developed a strong connect with most of his students.
His passion for teaching only reflected his indescribable love and devotion for our Swami. It was perhaps this very love and devotion for Swami that gave him the energy to often push beyond limitations of his age to exhibit infectious enthusiasm, even outside the classrooms especially during Gramaseva, sports meet practice and many more such instances.
He would be fondly remembered by several batches of students who have been fortunate to be associated with him, either directly or indirectly. May Swami bless this noble soul which merged into Him on March 12, 2018, with His name on his lips even during his last breath.
Dr. Viswanath Jandhyala was the 1st batch student of Prof. Rao during 2002-2004. He is currently Chief Manager, Export-Import Bank of India, Mumbai
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More than a teacher: Prem Kumar Chanda
Professor Panduranga Rao Sir would always encourage the students to have a dictionary and to maintain a pocket diary. He would also recommend to practice cursive handwriting. These may appear to be exercises only for school students, but Sir never left any opportunity to improve us.
He used to give personal feedback after our ‘foyer talks’ at the morning prayer sessions. After my talk one day, he came up to me and corrected a few grammatical mistakes and explained how it is “everyone is” and not “everyone are” and why I should use ‘manifold’ instead of ‘many folds’. He affectionately gave a pat for my foolish mistakes. I was surprised and humbled to see how a Professor of his calibre took pains to guide his students. He, in fact, took notes during the talk and let me know of every mistake I committed during my talk and made sure that I am aware of them. I am forever grateful to sir for mentoring many of us and giving us his valuable inputs.
A ‘grandfatherly’ figure
I remember how he used to encourage us to read a lot. To read good books. It was towards the end of our second year B.A, we were all excited as the academic year was about to end . We were also emotional because it was the last day we will be attending an English class as an academic course (except those who continued to pursue higher studies in English).
I still remember how joyously he came to the class one day and let us know that Swami had signed his book ‘Full flame’. Perhaps that was the last time Swami blessed someone with His autograph in public.
Professor Panduranga Rao Sir was like a grandfather watching over you, teaching you about life and academics, health and manners. We are forever indebted to him for guiding us and moulding us into able and noble students.
Thank you sir, for constantly reminding us of our good fortune to be under Swami’s umbrella and how it is our responsibility to make Him proud of us. Prem Kumar Chanda, did his B.A (Econ. Hons) 2009-2012 and MBA (2013-2015) from the Institute. Currently, he is Head of Community at Your Quote
