The year 2005 was declared the World Year of Physics by the UN to commemorate 100 years after Einstein’s most productive year. During 1905 Einstein published three of his most important contributions to physics, “The Photo Electric Effect” for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize, “Brownian Motion” and “The Special Theory of Relativity” for which he became most famous. As part of the celebrations of world year of physics, the Indian Physics Association conducted a ‘Physics Talent Search For Teachers’ applicable for teachers below 40 years of age. The teachers had to submit articles in seven different categories:

Physics Project, Physics Theory, Physics Education and Management, Physics Research, Physics Power Point Presentation, Physics Writing and Physics Communication. Each article was graded out of ten and the best five participants were asked to present their work at the Nehru Science Center, Mumbai. The winner was awarded the Sir C.V. Raman award for the most talented teacher.

Sri O. S. K. S. Sastri, a physics lecturer at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Brindavan Campus, was awarded the SIR C.V. RAMAN SECOND BEST TALENT award amongst teachers in the event. In acknowledging his award Sri Sastri, who is a Gold Medallist in M. Sc. (physics) and a student of the first batch of M. Tech (Applied Optics) of the Institute, told Heart2Heart,

“God bestows different talents to each of us. Some of us are gifted with a wonderful voice or with the power to articulate our feelings through speech, art, dance etc., and each of us find fulfillment when we offer this talent at His Lotus Feet. I had taken up this endeavour to offer my little talent that Bhagawan has blessed me with back to His Lotus Feet on the occasion of His 80th birthday. By His divine plan, I was selected in the top five and as if to bless my humble effort the presentation was to be made on 23rd November, 2005. I made a request to the organizers and it was postponed to Nov 24th when I could make my presentation, by His grace.”

Further blessings came to Sri Sastri when he presented the certificate to Bhagavan. Taking ample time, Swami carefully read out every line of the citation on the award and even told the elders around Him, “Baaga chesaadu kadha!” (He has done well, isn’t it?). Bhagavan then gave him padanamaskar and blessed him very lovingly saying in Kannada “Chennaga maaditivi, innu mele hogibeku” (you have done well and have to go still higher).

Recalling that blissful evening in the sylvan precincts of Trayee Brindavan, Sri Sastri says, “When Bhagawan read out the citation and looked around at all the elders with pride I felt true fulfillment of my effort.”

The 34-year old lecturer also won First Prize in this year’s National Competition for Innovative Experiments in Physics, along with his students Deepak and Shankar Jha, at the National Convention of the Indian Association of Physics Teachers held at Bhubhaneswar from 21st – 23rd of October 2005.

And in a further development which will greatly enhance students’ work in the area of physics, Sri Sastri and his student M. R. Ganesh Kumar designed and developed a Scientific Analysis Interface (or SAI 80, as they call it), which they offered at Bhagavan’s Lotus Feet on the 80th Birthday. This interface basically transforms the computer into a Data Acquisition System and can be used by students from +2 to P.G.level to perform more than 20 computerisation experiments in physics. This product was presented, along with demonstrations, at the National Workshop on New Trends in Teaching Physics held at Bangalore on November 6th, 2005. “The software SAI developed in Visual Basic and the designed PCBs with all the required details for making SAI80 shall be given free to all the colleges, in tune with the ideals of our institute as set by Bhagawan,” says Sri Sastri with a big benign smile on his face.

With this article Heart2Heart wishes to pass on to you, dear reader, how the Lord’s Grace can work through His instruments in every field of life to make a better world. We should not confine ourselves to the narrow field of religion, but recognize that God’s world is a myriad splendour and that all areas of human life can become sacred and in this endeavour the teachers in His Institute are so wonderfully setting a role model.

- Heart2Heart Team