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K K Ramakrishnan has gone to
Beloved Baba
One of the founders of Avatar Meher Baba Poona Centre, Mr. K K Ramakrishnan
breathed his last at about 07.00 am in the morning of April 29, 2008. He was
about 84. He was appointed the Secretary of the centre by Beloved Baba and
held this position until his death.
His was a remarkable life. At a young age, he left his home in Kerala and
joined the armed services. During the Second World War, he was posted in
Malasia and Burma. He came down to Poona to work in the ammunition factory.
He first read about Baba in Lokmanya Tilak’s seminal book “Geeta-rahasya”.
He had a natural affinity to the spiritual literature and in his earlier
days, was greatly influenced by J Krishnamurthy, Ramakrishna Paramhansa,
Vivekananda and Raman Maharshi. He first saw Baba on the Poona station
platform when Baba was about to board the train for the Andhra tour. Baba’s
beauty made an indelible impression on His mind. With Baba’s grace, He soon
became obsessed by Baba, His words and His work. He decided to dedicate His
remaining life to spread Baba’s message of love and truth. He sought Baba’s
permission to begin work for Baba’s centre at Pune. Baba not only allowed
him to begin the project but monitored and guided its execution till the
project was completed. KKR had also requested Baba’s presence for the
inauguration of the Centre’s hall on May 1, 1964. One of the rare fortunes
for any centre to be inaugurated at the hands of the Lord Himself! One year
later, on the first anniversary of the centre Baba came here again to give
darshan to hundreds of His lovers.
KKR played a significant role in the making of the centre and later, in the
world of Baba literature, through various publications he brought out
through the centre. He has edited various books on important spiritual
themes explained by Beloved Baba at various points in time by compiling
Baba’s words related to this theme in a single book. Some of the major
compilations are: Meher Baba on Love, Meher Baba on War, The advancing
stream of life and the Secrets of Sleep. In today’s world of computers,
digitization and internet, this may appear simple but imagine painstakingly
going through different volumes of Meher Message, Baba Journals and Baba
books and then typing it down on a manual typewriter!
He was known for His analytical, insightful and rational approach to Baba.
He was absolutely particular about upholding Baba’s supreme status through
one’s talks and writings about Baba.
He also brought out two books on the lives of Baba’s perfect masters Sai
Baba and Hazarat Babajan, and paid tributes through books to some of the
distinguished lives of close Baba disciples such as Dr. Ghani, Patil Kaka,
Francis Brabazon and Baba’s sister, Mani.
In 1994, he had an inner urge to re-activate the Universal Spiritual Centre
that Baba had initiated in Bangalore in 1939. He mobilized the resources to
bring the Byramangala project to its current shape.
For his entire life after dedicating his life to Baba, he remained focused
only on Baba. He read only about Baba and was never interested in any other
things. He never married and sought pre-mature retirement from service to
fulfill his commitments in Baba work. He used to reside at the centre.
In 1999, he had the opportunity to travel to the US and also visit the
Sufism Re-oriented group, with which he had a special relationship.
Probably, both were impressed by each other’s work.
I pray to the Beloved to bless us with such a commitment towards Baba. What
an inspiring life! We salute you dear Ramakrishnan!
(Received via email from
Avatar Meher Baba Pune Center - through Prashant Ahir )
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