Fragrance

Foreword

On this momentous occasion of the MBA Alumni Meet, I am reminded of the golden words of Bhagawan on the Inauguration of this Hallowed University. He declared that each one of us have been blessed to be a part of His Glorious Mission. Let us endeavour to live our lives as shining instruments of Bhagawan and forever have His Words etched in our memory.

"This College has not been established just to prepare you for earning degrees. The main purpose is to help you to cultivate Self-knowledge and Self-confidence, so that each one of you can learn Self-sacrifice and earn Self-realisation. The teaching of the University curricula and the preparation for presenting you for the University examinations and the award of University degrees – these are only the means employed for the end, namely, Spiritual uplift, Self-discovery and Social service through Love and Detachment.

Our hope is that by your lives, you will be shining examples of Spiritual Awareness and its beneficial consequences to the individual and society.

I am depending on you students, for a great transformation in outlook, a great revolution. Students of the Sathya Sai College must lead this movement!

Do not be under the impression that you and I have come together only now, since you study in this college; you have come to Me for the sake of far higher triumphs, as a consequence of merit acquired in many previous lives. You and your teachers are destined to achieve tremendous tasks under My Guidance, in the execution of the Mission on which I have come." - Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

- Prof. U. Srinivasa Rao

Dean and Principal

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning

Prasanthi Nilayam Campus, August 21, 2005

1.

The SBMAF Manager

- Amar Singh

MBA1994-1996

Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.

Chicago, USA

I had recently embarked on a longish road trip in the United States, and was listening to a recording of a speech by M. Scott Peck, the author of the bestseller ‘The Road Less Travelled’ even as I cruised along the expressway. A famed psychologist, Scott described how once he was studying the behaviours of two distinct sets of children. One group had been brought up in loving, warm, but disciplined families where kids were clearly cared for and valued. The other set had been brought up in violent and hostile environments, where the kids were frequently subject to verbal and physical abuse by their parents. Clearly, in the first case the children were happy and in the latter, they were fearful and disillusioned. Scott was interested in studying the impact of their upbringing on the kids’ futures. His going-in hypothesis was that the children from warm families would be reluctant to leave the comforting familiarity of their ‘happy’ homes while those from dysfunctional families would be happy to bid their goodbyes. He described how he was shocked to find the opposite to be true!

Children from happy homes were eager to step out, whereas those subjected to abuse preferred to stay within the confines of their homes. An avid researcher, he couldn’t wait to dig into the reasons that explained the anomaly in his expectations. This is what he found out – kids from loving families perceived the entire world to be a happy, warm and nurturing place. As a result, they had no trouble stepping out from the safe environs of their homes. They embraced the larger reality of the world with the same warmth they trusted their family with. The kids from the violent homes, on the other hand, perceived the world to be largely fearful, untrustworthy and antagonistic. They longed to stay within the narrow confines of their little world because they at least knew the ‘rules of engagement’ within it. They knew when they would get beaten, and how to stay out of trouble. The larger world presented them no familiar territory and in general represented an unknown entity, even more sinister than their home.

I shut the tape and paused to reflect on what I had just heard. It had been about eight years since I left the ‘comfortable’ environs of the little world that is Puttaparthi. I had stayed cocooned in this world for thirteen long and impressionable years, with little idea of the larger world outside. And then I had stepped out. Since my departure in 1996 from the comfort of Puttaparthi, my business travels had taken me across the length and breadth of India. Recently, I had transitioned to the United States. Through all this I had met scores of professionals, attended an uncountable number of business meetings, worked with and led teams, handled significant budgets and impactful responsibilities, and surmounted several professional and personal challenges on the course of an exciting and fulfilling eight-year journey. None of this was unlike so many young business executives working hard to deliver meaningful results.

With hardly any pride, I realised I had done much better than most of my colleagues and peers in negotiating my journey. I have never regarded myself as exceptionally brilliant, and carry no illusions about the limitations of my abilities and skill set. And yet, I had to admit to a reasonably strong track record. Till that moment, I realised I had never been able to put my finger on the real reason driving the success that came my way. Peck’s example summed up what had befuddled and escaped my objective analysis for the reasons behind my success. My years in Parthi, I realised, had irreconcilably turned me into an optimist with an attitude of warmth towards the world. In so many distinct and yet defining ways, I was always ‘different’ from my peers outside. And what’s more – I realised, this difference was healthy and positive. This also explained why I could adapt to a new culture and environment much better than my other Indian colleagues in the US. A dear friend and colleague once, in good faith, advised me to take life a little more ‘seriously’ as I didn’t seem particularly worried even under trying circumstances. I made an effort to suppress my laughter – it was impossible, I thought inwardly, for me to remain worried beyond a point about anything. After all, I always had the option of surrendering my mental load to Swami. Having done that, I found it quite easy to maintain my cheer even as others around me struggled to discover reasons to smile.

I did not want any notions of humility to cloud my understanding of how my years in Parthi provided me the mental maps that charted the success of my career thus far. A fairly objective analysis led me to recognise that at the very core of my emotional self lay the Love of God. It was not even true that I was in any way a great lover of God; instead I was convinced that God, for an inexplicable reason, loved me dearly. This emotional core provided for the larger framework that sustains me, both as a person and a professional today.

Management thinkers these days have come to accept the Resource-Based View of the firm as a more refined way to think about business strategy. Loosely, the Resource-Based View encourages one to think about developing uniquely differentiated, non-replicable and sustainable competencies for delivering value in the market place. While this is hardly an accurate definition of the Resource-Based View, a more interesting exercise would be to think about what unique competency, students from the SBMAF carry into the market place. Without leading you through my logic here, I like to think this competency is a combination of attributes that may be best loosely combined and encapsulated in the words – right attitude.

I have had the pleasure of working with extremely intelligent and creative people in my career. Intelligent people make for an environment that provides exceptional learning opportunities, intellectual stimulation and growth. However, intelligent people are also exceptionally prone to placing an exaggerated ‘premium’ on their intelligence. As a result, they run the risk of coming off as arrogant. Increasingly, I have noticed that forward-thinking companies are placing a premium on people with the ‘right’ attitude, over and above the necessary intelligence required for the job. Recruiters look for candidates with the right ‘fit’. Apart from cultural factors, fit issues revolve around questions such as – ‘Is this the kind of person I would enjoy working with?’ or ‘Would I choose this person to be on my team?’ and so on.

With the proliferation of specialized educational inputs in various fields worldwide, intelligence is increasingly losing its sheen as a slick differentiator in the marketplace. While it may never become a generic competency, I feel reasonably sure that intelligence will stand to lose ground as a unique differentiator in tomorrow’s workplace. Intelligent people with the ‘right’ attitude will become increasingly sought after instead! I certainly buy the argument that there is no unique way to describe the ‘right’ attitude, but I hope you will appreciate that a meaningful discussion around the topic is hardly the purpose of this article.

Why do I believe in the potential of the SBMAF to generate management graduates with the ‘right’ attitude? A key reason for this belief is my understanding that a healthy attitude is based firmly on an individual’s emotional maturity, and further that spiritual growth essentially also makes for an emotionally mature mind. Very few Educational Institutions in the ‘secular’ world of today would venture to mix ‘values’, ‘spirituality’ or ‘religion’ in their courses – any such attempts would be deemed politically incorrect, and, in some countries subject to libel. Business Schools across the world are scurrying to teach courses in ‘ethics’, ‘leadership’ and ‘corporate governance’ but I am not aware of many doing what is done so seamlessly at Parthi – blending spiritual thinking into the mental make-up of students.

Let me round this off by citing a personal example that underscores my above point. I was recently being interviewed by DuPont, a $27.4 billion company at the company’s headquarters in Delaware in the US. This was the result of DuPont’s efforts to inject a marketing competency into the organisation, as well as to prepare a team of young business leaders to take up leadership responsibilities for DuPont globally.

I certainly enjoyed meeting with DuPont’s executives and senior management. At the end of a day-long rigorous schedule, my final interview was with a Human Resources professional. He told me that while the others had checked my technical competencies and fit, he wanted to know more about me as a person. With that, he asked me which Institution I had studied at while in India, and why I chose to go there. I smiled, thinking I would never be able to verbalize how big Swami and the SBMAF experience have been in my life. In any case, I briefly explained that I went to my Institution of choice because of its unique Vision and focus on Holistic personality development, as well as its spiritual leanings. ‘Education is for life and not for a mere living’ – I quoted Swami while crisply explaining the essentially non-commercial nature of education here. He listened to me with attention, and I sensed that my words were beginning to get some traction in his mind.

He then asked – ‘If you really believe in that (the need for a non-commercial focus), how would you explain your desire to land in a job of this nature?’ Indeed, the job at hand was extremely challenging and the emoluments were much above industry standards. This was the big, bad world of business and competition. A lot of candidates really wanted the job. Was I under-selling myself by quoting soft philosophy? Did I really want the job? I was intrigued by his question. He certainly wanted to know more about me as a person, I mused.

With that, I paused for a moment’s thought and replied – ‘Eric, imagine if you were a teacher, and you had a student in your class who was essentially dim-witted, lazy and didn’t pay attention to his lessons. Imagine further that you went up to him and asked him to concentrate and study harder, and he were to reply – ‘Eric, there is much more to life than studies’. That would be one kind of answer. Imagine now, that in the same class you had another student who was the exact opposite – extremely intelligent, conscientious, and hard-working. Someone who regularly secured the highest grades, and recently even received a gold medal for his academic brilliance. You go up to this student to congratulate him for his feat, and you get a reply like – ‘Thanks Eric, but you know – there is much more to life than studies’. I asked my interviewer (you might have guessed, his name was Eric) ‘In my example, both students provided you the same exact answer, but which of these students would you respect more?’

I continued then, without waiting for his response – ‘I would really respect the latter student in my above example. Having achieved, he was not limited by his achievements. The lazy student was essentially incompetent, so his reply smacked of a case of sour grapes. One cannot give up or rise above something that one has not achieved. While I am assured in my mind about my beliefs, I cannot conclusively prove this till I have the opportunity to do so. I do believe my years in the Sri Sathya Sai Institute have provided me with the competency to achieve and the balance to look beyond whatever I achieve’.

Eric had listened to me with rapt attention. He broke the silence with the words – ‘I haven’t heard something like this before. That’s a very good story!’ After that, we chatted comfortably for half an hour and I couldn’t help thinking that Someone, sitting physically thousands of miles from Delaware would be smiling at our conversation. I was not wrong. As I left DuPont, Eric asked me for permission to share my ‘story’ with other interviewers and decision-makers in DuPont.

I knew I had the job right then, but more importantly, I felt re-affirmed once again that Someone never ever leaves your hand and is always guiding you to do, say and believe in the right things. No one has inspired me ever in my life like Swami, and I feel so assured in His love. Increasingly I feel I am capable of handling any situation life puts me in, not because I trust any capability I may possess, but because I know I am sustained entirely by a power in me that is not my own. And remaining connected with that power, in essence, is the core competency of any alumnus of the SBMAF.

2.

Living With God Is True Education

- Dr Naren Ramji

MBA 1986-1988

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning

Prasanthi Nilayam

It is our unique privilege to be students of Bhagawan. He has chosen to personally teach and mould us into good human beings. It has been a process of continuous learning for me from the time I joined as a student of the MBA Programme on 21st August 1986. Bhagawan in His own subtle way has never missed an opportunity to gently chide, correct and drive home a point, sensitizing us to aspects of behaviour, right conduct or method of work. I wish to share a few personal instances where Bhagawan drove home very valuable lessons.

Swami – the Perfect Host

As a part of the MBA programme, we visited industries in Bangalore to get insights into the practical aspects of Management. Swami was in Whitefield at that time. After our Industrial visit, Swami in His Infinite Love, decided to take us all on an outing to visit the Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary and the Nagarhole Wildlife reserve. We started from Brindavan early morning and went to the Ranganthittu bird sanctuary. We went to a nearby town for lunch where devotees had made arrangements. One of our teachers was fasting on that day and was therefore refraining from having lunch. Swami was walking round to see if everyone was being served food and He came upon this teacher who was not having lunch. When Swami was apprised of the situation, He observed that fruits are allowed during a fast and sent someone to fetch them. He waited till the fruits came and ensured that the teacher was eating before He moved on.

After lunch we drove down to the Nagarhole Wildlife reserve. Swami got into the bus we were travelling in and we went round the reserve looking at the wildlife. We were supposed to stay at the forest bungalow in the night and leave the next morning. However, when we went to the forest bungalow, Swami felt that it would not be adequate to house all of us and decided to drive back to the town where we had eaten our lunch. We arrived at around 7 p.m. and the devotees were taken by surprise. They had to arrange dinner for Swami and His entourage at short notice. In order to give them time and save them from an embarrassing situation, Swami called all of us to sit round him and asked us to start Bhajans. The Bhajans went on till dinner was ready to be served.

As there was not enough accommodation for all of us, it was decided that some of us will stay in a nearby guest house. It was around 9.30 p.m. and those of us who were to reside at the guest house were getting ready to leave, when suddenly we saw the headlights of Swami’s red Mercedes approach and we saw Swami drive by. We all wondered where Swami was going at this late hour and decided to wait for His return before proceeding to the guest house. After half an hour we saw Swami’s car return. Swami stopped the car and told us that He had gone to inspect the guest house to see if it would be comfortable for us. He asked us to proceed and have a good night’s rest. By His actions, Swami taught us how to be sensitive and empathetic to the people around us. As a perfect Host, He personally looked into our welfare and comfort. Swami could have asked any of the elders accompanying Him to do these tasks but He chose to do them Himself.

Teaching – the Positive Way

Swami exhibits great patience while making us learn. For many years, I have been associated with the production of the Drama performed on the day of the Convocation of the Institute. I recall how in the early days we used to take an inordinately long time to set the stage between scenes. It used to take us a lot of time to raise and lower the backdrops. I still remember we had a dedicated crew of around 20 boys who used to sit on top of the Shanti Vedika stage to manage the raising and lowering of backdrops. Swami presided over quite a few dramas without once pointing out our shortcomings. On one occasion, the Balvikas children from Madras were to perform a few days after one of the Convocation Dramas. The backdrops for this programme were managed by just two people using an innovative technique with three ropes which could be operated from the ground on one of the sides of the stage. They were able to change backdrops in less than 15 seconds. Swami still refrained from making any comparative comment after watching the performance backed by excellent stage management. The idea was so simple yet so effective. We caught onto it and decided to use it for the next Convocation Drama. Swami, in His kindness, gave us an opportunity much earlier than that to redeem our reputation.

Around a month later, the Primary school students had prepared a drama on the life of King Harishchandra and prayed to Swami for an opportunity to present it before Him. Swami decided that the drama should be enacted in the Institute Auditorium so that all of us could watch the drama. The teachers and students of the Institute were told to assist in setting the stage and provide the necessary support for the purpose. Seizing the opportunity, we incorporated the newly learnt system of backdrop management which resulted in very quick change of scenes. Needless to say, the Primary School children performed beautifully and Swami was very happy. After the performance, He came onto the stage to take photographs with the Primary School children. After the photo session, Swami with a beaming smile walked towards the flanks where the Institute students were standing and said very good stage management, the scene changes were done very quickly. He was pleased not only because we had done well but also because we had learnt quickly from the situation to which we had been exposed. It is important to note here that Swami did not comment on our sloppy performance but instead chose to show us an example of a good performance so that we could introspect, learn and improve.

Swami - the Catalyst

Swami exhibits the qualities of good leadership for us to imbibe and emulate. It is important to oversee the performance of people but not be overly intrusive so as to stifle individuality and creativity. However, a leader must intervene when things are on the verge of collapse.

For an Annual Sports Meet, the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus decided to put up a sound and light show entitled Manava Samskruthi. Without realising it, we had taken on more than we could handle. The programme entailed making huge sets, directing the presentations and choreographing the dances, recording the audio track and providing special lighting at various points in the ground to light up three separate performing areas. Everyone worked tirelessly to fulfil the tasks allocated to them. The 11th of January was approaching and we had not had a complete practice with the audio tracks and lights. Things were in disarray. That year, Swami was a little reticent with the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus and He did not indicate any eagerness to see a rehearsal of the programme.

Swami, all-knowing that He is, realised that some intervention was required if the programme was to succeed. On the evening of the 10th of January, He came to the College, apparently to see the final practice of Chakka Bhajan which was to form a part of the procession when Swami entered the stadium on the 11th morning. Just as He was about to leave, a senior student took courage and prayed to Swami to come and see a rehearsal of the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus programme. Swami readily agreed and came to the stadium. We were totally unprepared and it took us a while to organize things and begin the rehearsal. Swami’s Presence brought out a seriousness and commitment from the students that we had not seen till then and for the first time we went through the whole programme without a break. Before He left, Swami made some suggestions and asked that some scenes be pared down as the programme was too long. The next day the sound and light show, the first of its kind in Prasanthi Nilayam was a grand success. Swami had turned around a certain failure into a grand success by His timely intervention and guidance. A good leader is a catalyst – He makes things happen by His presence.

Swami – Perfect Manager and Organiser

We had installed the P.A. system in the newly built Sai Kulwant Hall. One festival day, Swami had given His Divine Discourse and was returning to Poornachandra Auditorium. While passing a person close to His residence, Swami asked him if he had liked the Discourse. The person concerned told Swami that he could not listen to the Discourse as the speaker placed on the outside of Kulwant Hall was not working. Swami did not say anything and retired for the day. We rectified the problem the moment we came to know of it. The next morning Swami came for Darshan and slowly walked around the Kulwant hall as if checking out if the Darshan music was heard everywhere in the Hall. He even walked down the central path and went up to the Rama temple and came back. After evaluating things for Himself, Swami came into the Bhajan Hall from where we operate the sound system and gently told us to check up if everything was alright as some people were saying that they were unable to hear things properly. Swami chose to ascertain things for Himself before reacting to a complaint.

It was the day after one of the Sports Meets. Swami called for the car and took a drive to the stadium on the morning of the 12th. He found all the props and sets used for the previous day’s performance lying scattered all over the ground. When He returned to the Mandir, He admonished us for our carelessness and said that all the items should be put away carefully after use. He wanted to drive home the importance of care and maintenance of resources. From then on, whether it is the Sports Meet, Convocation Drama or a Conference, we wind up all the items used, and put them back where they belong, the very same day. There is an interesting sequel to this event, though it happened many years later.

It was a day after an MBA anniversary on 21st August, when Swami had come to the Institute to Bless us with His Divine Message and also witness a Drama by the students. On 22nd afternoon, I was sitting for Darshan next to a group of youth from Hyderabad. As Swami walked by, the youth group prayed for an opportunity to present a drama before Him. Swami thought for a while, turned towards me and asked if the lights and mikes put up for the previous days’ drama were still on the stage at the Institute Auditorium. I apologetically told Swami that we had wound up everything, immediately after the function. He feigned surprise at this efficiency and enquired if it would be possible for us to arrange the lights and mikes at the Institute Auditorium to enable the youth group to put up their drama. When I replied in the affirmative, Swami wanted to know how much time we would require to set everything up. In my eagerness to please, I said it would take an hour. Swami said He would come around 6 p.m. thereby giving us around two hours to get things ready. He was walking away when He paused and said that He would appraise the Vice-Chancellor about this matter personally. Swami could have commanded us to make the necessary arrangements but He chose to ascertain from us if it were possible. Second, Swami asked us how much time we needed and gave an allowance for unforeseen situational factors. Third, Swami demonstrated the importance of following the correct protocol. The Chancellor was coming to the Institute and it would be appropriate to talk to the Vice-Chancellor about the arrangements to be made.

Living with Swami is true education. He is constantly teaching us through His personal example. He has said that His life is His message. How true it is! I pray to Him to give me the sensitivity, will and determination to watch Him, learn and imbibe His teachings in my endeavour to continually evolve into a better human being.

3.

Knowledge Becomes Skill

- Ashok Sundaresan

MFM 1993-1995

Private Consultancy

Trichy

This is based on an incident that occurred a couple of years ago, during the Grama Seva done by us, Swami’s students, as part of Swami’s Birthday celebrations. Bhagawan had sent truck loads of food, clothing and sweets to be distributed to each house in every village, in and around Prasanthi Nilayam. The students used to leave for these villages with Bhagawan’s Benediction and distribute these gifts as ‘Prasadam’ to the villagers. Every evening, Bhagawan used to ask us specific details – about the villages visited, whether gifts were distributed to each and every home and so on. The boys used to narrate all that happened during the visit.

One such day, when Bhagawan enquired about the village that had been visited, they replied that it was Karnatenagepalli. Bhagawan evinced keen interest and asked Oh! Did you see Parvathiamma then? The boys replied in the positive. Bhagawan with a nostalgic glee recounted how during His visits to nearby villages in His younger years, He had visited this village too. Parvathiamma then used to prepare ragi balls with her own hands, fry it in pure ghee and give them to Bhagawan. He used to relish them. Bhagawan asked whether she had given them such sweets on that day also. The boys replied in the affirmative. Bhagawan then said that Parvathiamma last visited Prasanthi Nilayam a few years back. Although she stayed close by, her circumstances did not permit her to visit Bhagawan often. Bhagawan then became serious and said, But she is a great devotee. She was always ‘connected’. Her devotion to Bhagawan was simple, but deep. It was rustic, yet profound. She was physically away, but mentally connected.

Then Swami made some significant statements about her. He said that by profession, she was a midwife. Her skill in judging the baby’s position, its health and the mother’s well-being was tremendous. He said that just by holding the mother’s hand and feeling the pulse, she could comment on the baby, its growth, the mother’s health and so on. He then went on to say something that has profound implications for each one of us. He said that her skill surpassed the skill of some of the best doctors in the Super Specialty Hospital. Did she receive any formal medical education? Does she continuously attend professional development programmes? Does she meet her peers and superiors and discuss her cases? Does she have access to the latest technology? None of the above! Bhagawan said that when you are mentally connected to Him, when you do your work, its efficiency reaches perfection and work itself becomes worship!

We have two lessons to learn from Parvathiamma. Firstly, we may be placed in our life in some situations where we may not have access to the best material, best talent, best scope for learning, best superiors, etc. Still we can make our work reach the highest levels of professional competence and the greatest milestones of efficiency. All this by just remaining connected to Bhagawan. That one factor alone makes all the difference. Others may have so many advantages in life by way of wealth, position, education, location and the like. As a Sai Student, I have one great advantage that surpasses everything else. I have lived with the Avatar, seen Him, touched Him, heard Him speak and learnt from Him. I can access Him from wherever I am and this makes all the difference in my life and work.

Secondly, when I remain connected to Bhagawan, my work becomes worship. I surely think about how best I can serve Him through the daily chores I do. He teaches me how to have the right attitude when I do my work. He guides me how to Love Him better through my work. I don’t think many people have this opportunity. We are blessed with that opportunity and His Grace enables us to recognise it. I also pray that He endows us with the necessary strength of character to use this opportunity to get closer to Him.

4.

Swami’s Word Is His Will

- Arjun Banarjee

MBA 1998-2000

CSI Engineering P.C.

USA

Where should I begin? My true journey began when I was finally at the feet of Sai. It was the summer of 1993 when I visited Parthi for the fourth time in my life. As always, I stepped into the Ashram premises and rushed right to the entrance to Lord Ganesha. I stood firm, bowing my head to the remover of obstacles; the one who ensures success. I had always prayed to Swami in the form of Ganesha because at every stage in life, when obstacles presented themselves they needed to be removed and success begotten. Hasn’t He said, Ask and thou shalt be granted? So I never failed to ask. I would ask Him every time I wanted something. In a way I felt like a child asking my mother for attention.

This time my ‘wish’ was to pass the entrance exam that would help me join the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School. I had always wanted to be there and felt that I was destined for it. Entrance into this school would change my life forever. I believed that I would be touched by Divinity and would be ‘accepted’, and that is exactly what happened.

I had wanted to be admitted into the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School ever since the second grade. I clearly remember when I was sitting with my mother at the Darshan lines and when Swami walked by, I jumped up and grabbed His hand (I was a wee bit excited at that time. Excitement for God is justified, I guess!) It was the festival of Diwali! I approached Swami and tugging at his robe, I asked Him for two things: Fatakas (Fire Crackers) and admission into His School. Instantly, He called me from among the crowd and handed me fire crackers. At the same time, He blessed me with a Padnamaskar. Carried away by the excitement, I did not reiterate my primordial wish, my wish to be admitted into the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School. Eight years later..…my wish came to fruition. I was finally admitted to the School in the 11th grade.

Having lived in different parts of India as an Army Officer’s son, I had attended many different public schools and army schools. Discipline was always emphasised in these schools but it was not until I was in Parthi that I realised that discipline had another meaning.

During my first couple of days in Parthi, I was introduced to waking up at 5:30 a.m. (a significant change from the regular 7:00 a.m. at home). The day would begin with Suprabhatam, and then a strenuous jog coupled with other exercises would follow. Then there would be breakfast followed by classes. Initially, I thought it was very tough. But Swami has said, Gold needs to be put through fire in order to become a beautiful ornament. That is why He calls us ‘Bangaru’, for that is what He expects us to be.

Throughout the day, there was one thought that kept me going; that in the afternoon, we would have the Divine Darshan.It was the reward for all the hard work that each student had put forth throughout the day. In fact, for all of us students who have had the opportunity to be there, He is the driving force – the silent energy that keeps us ticking.

Life at the Hostel and at the University had its own flavor. I would often think to myself – why do I need to wake up so early, why share a room with eleven others, why not just have my own room and my freedom. Soon, I realised how shallow these thoughts were.

It was in the Hostel that I learned to adjust and accommodate. The Hostel was like a ‘melting pot’. There were young men from different cultures and backgrounds who lived together under one roof as brothers. It was camaraderie, it was brotherhood and it was Divine Love, giving a glimpse of itself through the beauty of discipline.

What I learnt at the Lotus Feet has been with me all through my life. Today, living away from home in another country, I have been told repeatedly by my colleagues that they perceive something different about me. They have expressed joy working with me and I am often coined as the ‘cool guy. ‘They respect the values and culture that they observe in me. These are the values that have slowly ebbed into me during my seven years at