He Lived His Message... And Shared His Love
The Unforgettable Nine Divine Years:
Prof. Habbu – The Enterprising Secretary of Sri Sathya Sai Cooperative Stores, Brindavan
After Prof. Habbu joined Swami’s college, his first responsibility was to teach history, but soon the Lord gifted him with many other parallel opportunities. The following year, in May 1974, Bhagavan organized the Summer Course in Indian Culture and Spirituality, and at this time, He decided to start a Cooperative Society to cater to the daily needs of the students. Prof. Habbu was now made the Secretary of this new service initiative. It started in a small way.
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Prof. Habbu - the force behind the initial success of the Sri Sathya Sai Cooperative Stores, Brindavan |
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Prof. Habbu prayed to Bhagavan for Rs. 2,000 (which was quite an amount those days, even though very little for a shop) and with this amount, which Swami readily gave, he bought the first provisions. It was a mix of soaps, hair oils, and a few brands of biscuits, which was arranged in just one shelf. And Bhagavan Himself came to inaugurate this store! Not only that - He was the first customer too.
“I still remember that day, May 29, 1974,” Prof. Habbu recalled. “Swami picked up a big-sized swastik hair oil, and then looked at it and said, ‘It is for Sai Geeta (His pet elephant)’. There was one person accompanying Swami who immediately offered money for that bottle. Just like a businessman, I took the amount, prepared a bill and wrote it out in the divine name of ‘Sai Baba’ with the item ‘Swastik Hair oil’ and the price was Rs. 9.80. I checked the price again, signed the voucher, and gave it to that person.
“After about half an hour, Mr. Sudarshan, the Warden of the boys’ hostel came and said, ‘How could you write Baba’s name on the bill?’ Now, I was perturbed. ‘Is Swami unhappy?’ I asked him. ‘No, He is smiling,’ he said. I too relaxed and felt so relieved.”
During the nine years of his stay in Brindavan, working in the cooperative store was a great privilege for Prof. Habbu not only because of many such sweet moments with the Lord but also because of Swami’s active involvement in the growth and expansion of this small enterprise.
“There were many occasions when Swami would drop in unannounced and take us completely by surprise,” Prof. Habbu recalled. “One such day, He entered inside, inspected the different items on the shelves and finally His eyes rested on the handkerchiefs, which were all of different colours. Swami next put His hand on these kerchiefs and looked at me. I instantly got the message; Swami was not happy with that bunch. The same evening, I collected all the eight dozen handkerchiefs and rushed to the city. I returned with only white kerchiefs and placed them in their place in the store.
“After the morning darshan was over that day, to our delight, Swami started walking towards our store. Oh! Can you imagine our joy at that time! As soon as He came, I said, ‘Swami, I am so grateful that You have come.’ And do you know what Swami said? ‘You prayed so hard, I had to come.’ And He repeated this very lovingly 2-3 times as he stepped inside the building.”
~ Prof. D. S. Habbu |
“After two days, Swami came again. Like on many occasions, He casually looked at the various shelves, and finally His eyes fell on the white handkerchiefs. Now, He looked at me and smiled. For me, it was a day of great joy.
“On another occasion, Swami suddenly started walking towards our store about forty five minutes after the evening darshan. We had just then concluded our business and the whole area was actually very untidy. The table was full of articles and now there was no time as Swami was already close by. So, we immediately dumped everything underneath the table and placed a nice table cloth on top.
“Not even a few seconds had passed and Swami came in. Like always, He looked around, smiled, talked to one or two boys, and seemed very happy. And then, just before He left, with a mischievous smile, He simply lifted the table cloth and said, ‘What a mess!’ But, thankfully, He continued to smile as He left the premises. The plays of the All-knowing Lord were numerous and at the same time, it was He who protected, guided and guarded us.
“There is one incident here which I can never forget. This was probably in 1978 or 79. Every year on May 29, we prayed to Swami to visit the store as that was the anniversary day. But in that particular year, Swami had already visited us a week earlier, and so when we requested Him for this special visit, He simply said, ‘I already went a week ago.’ We pleaded again, but all we received was a smile.
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Baba's visits to the stores were a cause of great joy |
“Just the day before, on May 28, our store became almost empty as the hundreds of boys attending the summer course had bought out everything. I saw that there were absolutely no notebooks. So, I went to the city and purchased Rs. 10,000 worth of books. I loaded them into a mini truck and started my journey back to Brindavan.
"After a few kilometers, the truck suddenly stopped. Unfortunately, this happened in a very isolated area. The driver tried his best to fire the engine, but the vehicle would just not start. Finally, he told me to push the vehicle, while he tried to control the steering with one hand.
“For me it was no easy task. Mind you, I was 51 at that time and it was 1.30 in the afternoon in the hottest month of the year. At this time, usually, one would not find anyone even walking on the streets, let alone pushing a truck! In any case, I went through that ordeal, and while I was sweating it out a thought came to me: ‘Swami, at least because of what I am going through here, please do come to the store tomorrow’. This prayer just emerged from my heart spontaneously.
“And after pushing for a kilometer or two, fortunately there was a slope and the driver told me to sit inside. Now, the truck began to work and without any more hurdles we reached Brindavan.
“All the items were arranged very neatly in the shelves the next day, and we eagerly waited for Bhagavan’s arrival. But we were not sure, so we kept praying. After the morning darshan was over that day, to our delight, Swami started walking towards our store. Oh! Can you imagine our joy at that time! As soon as He came, I said, ‘Swami, I am so grateful that You have come.’ And do you know what Swami said? ‘You prayed so hard, I had to come.’ And He repeated this very lovingly 2-3 times as he stepped inside the building.”
Prof. Habbu – The Most Principled and Inspiring First Principal of Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School, Prasanthi Nilayam
These were only a tiny glimpse of the glorious moments and grace that the Lord bestowed on Prof. Habbu during the first nine years of His physical proximity with the Lord. It is after this memorable first innings, when Bhagavan personally guided him at every step and imparted many precious lessons, directly and indirectly, that He brought this efficient instrument of His to Prasanthi Nilayam. Now, the Lord entrusted him with the highly responsible position of being the Principal of His own school.
“In the very first week of my tenure Swami told me ‘speak everyday in the assembly’,” Prof. Habbu recalled. And this, the dedicated professor did, sincerely and unsurpassably.
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Swami told me ‘speak everyday
in the assembly’ |
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Prof Habbu's delivered innumerable talks
all of which were inspiring and elevating |
“I vividly remember his inspiring speeches to students,” says Mr. Ram Mohan Rao, a senior teacher of the school. “His talks were so full of love for the country and devotion towards Bhagavan. He elevated the students by his stirring descriptions of the Indian freedom struggle. He would speak from his heart with tremendous feeling and that would definitely touch every student.”
“Without Habbu Sir, I would not have been what I am today,” says Lt. Colonel Jogeshwar Kar, who completed his education in Swami’s school in 1989. “He inspired through his conduct and speech, and preached only what he practiced. For me, he was a Karmaveer, a hero in the performance of his duties. Without the training and discipline he instilled in me, I would have never been able to endure four years of training at the NDA (National Defence Academy) and IMA (Indian Military Academy) without a moment of frustration or depression and become an officer in the Indian Army. I feel humbled and proud to have been nurtured by such a great soul who was an institution by himself.”
“His talks were so full of love for the country and devotion towards Bhagavan. He elevated the students by his stirring descriptions of the Indian freedom struggle. He would speak from his heart with tremendous feeling and that would definitely touch every student.” |
Prof. Habbu was a very strict disciplinarian, undoubtedly. But unlike many of that tribe, he was loved immensely too. “He was a hard task master with a kind heart. Students did not mind being taken to task by him since they knew he loved them genuinely and selflessly,” explains Mr. B. N. Narasimha Murthy, the current Warden of the Brindavan campus of the Sri Sathya Sai University.
“The greatest facet of his personality was he taught every value by his own example,” says Dr K.V.S.S. Sai Kiran, a school alumnus who is currently a Cardiothoracic Surgeon in Star Hospitals, Hyderabad. He goes on to amplify this and says, “There was not even a single day when he was not present in the school before we reached it. Not a day would pass without our having an experience of a lifetime with him, because there was never a day he was not available!
He meant so much to each one of us…even now if I close my eyes, I can visualize his inspiring personality…the tall figure in crisp khadi whites, meticulously cleaned, starched and pressed to perfection, a diary and a couple of books in his left hand hugged to his chest, an upright and confident stride with his head held aloft but the eyes looking at the road ahead always, and lips constantly uttering: 'Sai Ram, Sai Ram'.”
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Swami surrounded by His teaching staff with Prof. Habbu seated to His right |
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He was perhaps the last surviving sincere Gandhian of Modern India, feels Mr. Partish Kumar Dubey. After he was moved to Prasanthi Nilayam, Prof. Habbu’s daily routine would begin at 4 a.m. and after his morning prayers at home, he would be in time for the Suprabhatam in the Prasanthi Mandir. Immediately after this, he would go to the ground to oversee the jogging and morning exercises of the boys, and at 7 a.m. he would be back in Mandir for morning darshan.
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He walked behind His Lord... |
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After this, he would rush home to have his breakfast and at 8 a.m. he would be in school, much before the students arrived. “I still remember, in all the nine years I was the Principal, there were two days when I was late to school because of problems at home,” Prof. Habbu said recalling his Principalship. And everyday, he would address the students in the assembly for at least 5-6 minutes.
Similarly, in the evenings, after the bhajan session in the Mandir, he would again visit the class and monitor the extra classes being conducted for a few boys, and then accompany all these students till the hostel gate as he felt that was his responsibility. And very often he would visit the hostel in the night to interact and inspire the students to rise up to their potential.
“He truly believed that ‘Hard work is the only investment that never fails’,” says Mr. P. Satyanarayana, a school alumnus. “I remember Habbu Sir’s daily visits to the hostel during our pre-final exams (around Jan – Feb, 1990). On these evenings, he would make it a point to speak to each one of us to ascertain our progress and plan of action for the ensuing exam. He would suggest corrective action to ensure that we do not fall behind schedule. What was also amazing about him was his remarkable memory; he would remember what each one of us had discussed with him regarding their academic progress. And these hostel rounds were done by him religiously, almost on a daily basis.”
Therefore, it was never before 10 or 11 in the night that Habbu Sir returned home to have his dinner. His dedication to Swami’s mission was impeccable.
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Inculcating healthy sports activities was an important task
entrusted to Prof. Habbu by Swami |
“The goal of education,” he said, “was to promote the all round development of each and every student, and make them physically strong, emotionally stable, intellectually sharp and spiritually advanced.” This was his guiding principle and he literally struggled day and night working towards this objective.
It was he who started the morning jogging and suryanamaskar exercises for all the boys, under Swami’s direction and guidance. In 1986, when Swami decided to deliver discourses on the 12th and 17th chapters of Bhagavad Gita, he took the initiative to teach all the verses of these chapters to the students, and finally when the boys chanted them in His presence, Swami was immensely pleased.
Again, when Mr. Veda Narayana joined the school, he immediately started the practice of teaching Vedic hymns to the students in the school assembly itself. Similarly, when a westerner Mr. Drucker from USA volunteered to teach Christmas carols to the students, he gave him his complete support and the boys sang so well that since then the morning of the Christmas day has always been earmarked for the boys.
He also started the concept of SUPW hours wherein students engaged in Socially Useful Productive Work every week. Dr. K. V. S. S. Sai Kiran recalls, “There were some days when we used to weed out ‘parthenium plants’ from the school playground, and our dear Habbu Sir would join hands with us in doing this, even though it was very hot in the afternoon.”
"He meant so much to each one of us… even now if I close my eyes, I can visualize his inspiring personality… the tall figure in crisp khadi whites, meticulously cleaned, starched and pressed to perfection, a diary and a couple of books in his left hand hugged to his chest, an upright and confident stride with his head held aloft but the eyes looking at the road ahead always, and lips constantly uttering: 'Sai Ram, Sai Ram'.” |
There was not a single student who came to the school or to the Mandir without combing his hair well or wearing a dress that was untidy. The enforcement of discipline during his time was complete.
While the boys developed their skills in various extra curricular activities and appreciated the value of time and discipline, he never allowed academics to falter. In fact, Habbu Sir devised ingenious ways of pairing up strong and weak students, and conducting separate tutor-ward sessions frequently to ensure that every student performed to the best of his ability.
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Prof. Habbu with Sai in Trayee |
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When the school achieved 100% first class results in 1991, the smile that lit up Swami’s face was indescribable. “It was a sight for the gods to see! When I placed the results in His hand, He was so full of joy!” Habbu Sir recalled with jubilation and continued, “He went from one end of the building to the other and proudly displayed the results to all the elders present. More than 600 people witnessed this spectacle.
"When I returned to Puttaparthi, I called a meeting of all the teachers and said, ‘To give those five minutes of pure joy to Bhagavan, we have to work tirelessly for 364 days, 23 hours and 55 minutes.’ And in the next year, the results were fantastic. More than 80% of the students had secured above 80% and 27 students were awarded 90% and more. The school had truly scaled a new peak, and Swami, of course, was delighted. But at the same time, now He raised the bar for us.”
“Currently, for the last five years, the school has been achieving 95% distinction apart from 100% first class,” says Mr. Sivaramakrishnaiah, the present Principal of the school, and adds, “The school is what it is today because of Swami’s grace and the noble traditions established by Prof. Habbu.”
“He was a strict disciplinarian, no doubt, but he was extremely fair to each and every student. Beneath his strict external attire lay the warm heart of a loving father,” says Partish. Recalling one instance, Ajishnu, another alumnus, says, “I was then in my 9th grade and I had just returned from my winter break. After I alighted from the bus that carted us from Bangalore to Puttaparthi, to my great disappointment, I found my luggage missing. I was actually devastated, because the suitcase contained all my essentials – clothes, goodies from home, et al.
“And so I turned up next day at the morning assembly in a peculiar fashion – I was the only boy in a colored trouser. Of course, it caught Habbu Sir’s eye. When I explained to him my situation, he calmly asked me to sit down. During the lunch break, he called me again and told me to meet him after evening darshan. When I saw him that evening, he asked me to walk along with him.
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“It was a sight for the gods to see! When I placed the results in His hand, He was so full of joy!” |
“I was curious as to where we were going, but did not feel bold enough to ask. At the end of our brief trip, I found myself in a tailoring shop, with Sir instructing him to stitch for me two pairs of whites. I was really moved.
“The story does not end there. A few weeks passed, and one morning I was informed that my luggage was safe; it was actually sitting at the travel agency’s office in Bangalore! I was overjoyed and later found that behind this find was the persistent inquiry silently initiated by Habbu Sir. He truly cared for each one of us.”
Such stories of Habbu Sir’s genuine concern are numerous. To quote just one more instance, here is what Dr. Surendra Patnaik, a school alumnus, now an Orthopaedic Surgeon at East Surrey Hospital, Redhill, UK, says:
“Habbu Sir would take personal interest in our academic progress from our IX grade itself as the next year we would be writing the All India CBSE examination. He used to encourage us through many ways, but despite several reminders from him, I was not entirely focused on my academics.
“One day, I was summoned to the Principal's office, and was shocked to see my father there as it was not time for vacation. On my entry into the office, I was given a stern warning and asked to improve my conduct and performance. My father was perturbed and started reprimanding me then and there. Seeing this, Habbu Sir immediately interrupted my father, and in an even more authoritative tone told him, ‘You have no right to scold our children in front of us; we are well aware of the ways and we can handle our children.
’That day I realized how Habbu Sir truly considered us as His own children. My eyes swell up even today as I recollect this incident. My friends from junior batches tell me that even after I graduated from the school, Habbu Sir would often mention about my academic progress to all in the school assembly. And not only that, until his last breath he kept himself abreast of the progression in my career. Such was his love; I can never forget him.”
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Prof. Habbu stands at extreme left as Swami inspects a science model made by His students |
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Substantiating this priceless aspect of his personality, Mr. B. N. Narasimha Murthy, adds, “I had the privilege of working with Prof. Habbu for four years from 1983 to 87 as the Warden of the Hostel at Prasanthi Nilayam. He truly treated his students as his own children, and I fondly remember his visits to the hostel in the evenings for spending time with sick students who could not attend classes in the school.
’That day I realized how Habbu Sir truly considered us as His own children. My eyes swell up even today as I recollect this incident. My friends from junior batches tell me that even after I graduated from the school, Habbu Sir would often mention about my academic progress to all in the school assembly. And not only that, until his last breath he kept himself abreast of the progression in my career. Such was his love; I can never forget him.” |
His son, Upendra, too was a student of the University then and resided in the hostel. Prof. Habbu was a highly responsible parent who expected his son to be an ideal student in every sense. His strictness with his son sometimes made me think that he treated his students as his children, and his children as his students! In many years of my experience as the Warden of four hostels under the divine auspices of Bhagavan Baba, I have very rarely come across such parents. He was absolutely exceptional.”
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Swami with Prof. Habbu's son, Upendra |
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Swami with the current Principal, Mr. Sivaramkrishnaiah (L)
and with Prof. Habbu in the middle |
The virtues of this chosen instrument of the Lord are many. Yes, he was a man of principles, integrity and discipline who worked very hard. But he also had a fine sense of humour. The current Principal, Mr. Sivaramkrishnaiah recalls, “On some days when we would finish the work quickly and start to leave, he used to joke saying, ‘If we go too early, at home they might think that we have lost the job!’”
Prof. Habbu – A Marvel of a Man, Multifaceted and Caring
With old age catching up, in 1993, Prof. Habbu handed over the reins of the school to Mr. Y. Sivaramkrishaiah under divine directions. Still, he continued to teach history in the Sri Sathya Sai University. Remembering those days, Mr. Biju Mukund, says,
“I had the good fortune of being his student through school and also in my degree course where he was specially appointed to teach us History. His classes were full of life. From personal experiences, to current socio-economic situations, to debates on historical events, he had a technique to seamlessly interface topics into the right context and make us think.
"As time went by we experienced Habbu Sir in every form - the strict General in school, a scholar, patriot, sportsman, spiritual seeker, devotee, and most of all, a child. For me, he remains a friend who held my hand when no one was ready to take me across a very difficult time of my life. I salute this soldier of Swami’s army who has given me and thousands of students a proud legacy which we will take forward in our personal and professional lives.”
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The compassionate lord - always eager to bless
His beloved instrument |
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Every time Swami came to School Prof. Habbu welcomed Him and Sai showered His copious blessings |
During this period when Prof. Habbu was busy in the university, he was also, for a brief period, Head of the Hostel Management Committee.
"As time went by we experienced Habbu Sir in every form - the strict General in school, a scholar, patriot, sportsman, spiritual seeker, devotee, and most of all, a child. For me, he remains a friend who held my hand when no one was ready to take me across a very difficult time of my life. I salute this soldier of Swami’s army who has given me and thousands of students a proud legacy which we will take forward in our personal and professional lives.” |
Mr. Shiva Shankar Sai, the current Warden of the Senior Boys Hostel in Prasanthi Nilayam, who worked very closely with him during those days, says, “Prof. Habbu had such a great sense of wit and humor that I could not help loving him deeply. Besides, I learnt my first lessons in management of the hostel from him. He was very particular about the quality of food prepared. He would daily go for a round in the dinning hall during the dinning sessions and find out for himself from the boys about the quality of the preparations. He would then pass on all the feedback to the kitchen management for immediate action and improvement.”
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