On Saturday, 3 August 2024, my father Sriram, left his body peacefully.
Next to my mother Saroja, he has been the greatest influencer, supporter, and advisor in realising Veda Studies. An engineer by training, he was a pilot in the Indian Air Force before becoming an entrepreneur. He was a devout Hindu, continuing my mother’s legacy by arranging monthly chanting sessions in our home in Bangalore (led by her senior students).
His contribution to Veda Studies is beyond measure. Through his influence, my teacher accepted me as a student to be mentored in the traditional Guru-Śiṣya parampara system. He bought me all my books, arranged for me to meet and study with Dr. Kashyap, and accompanied me to every class. He instilled in me the paramount value of honouring our teachers and Gurus. My ability to offer the Śani vrata to our community stems from observing him perform his for 19 years. Witnessing his relationship with goddess Lakṣmī inspired me and the results of his sādhana enriched our family and extended community.
He was a special advisor to Veda Studies, and his wisdom, strength, and experience will be deeply missed.
In addition to all the Hindu last rites, he received the ceremonial Indian Air Force last rites honour. Immense gratitude to my brother Srihari for holding the family together at this difficult time.
Special request: Please leave any condolence note as a comment below instead of an email or message to Shantala. She is unable to respond to emails but will be reading your messages here.
Very sorry for your loss, Shantalaji. May you find the strength to deal with this difficult time.
Please accept my condolences at this tragic loss. May God give strength to cope with this loss. Sadgati praptirastu
My sincerest condolences on the MaHaSamadhi of your Father! May your love and family love be with him for all time.
What a blessing to have such a father and mentor. Condolences to the whole family and a deepest respect to a wonderful man!
I am so sorry for the loss of your dear father, Shantala. Much love to you and your family.
My deepest condolences to you, dear Shantala and your family. Your father’s legacy will keep inspiring and keep living in our hearts of Veda Studies’ community around the world. Sending love, thoughts and prayers to you and your family during this very difficult time.
So sorry for your loss. Keeping you and your family in my prayers. Hari Om!
Really sorry to hear this shantala ji.My deepest condolences to the entire family .Om shanti
I will be forever grateful for the spiritually abundant legacy that your precious father created thru you and thru his life long devoted sadhana that we have all immensely benefited from. His life is a shining example of unwavering dedication to realization and is a source of great inspiration to me. My love and heartfelt condolences to you and your family.
🙏🙏🙏
Thank you, Shantala, for taking time out to write about your father. My heartfelt condolences to you and your family. Om Shanti.
I’m currently in your city, and I’m sending you lots of love and strength. He was a great man, and will always look out for all of us, bless us. We got our guru because of him and your lovely mama 🌸🙏🏻
So sorry for your loss, dear Shantala. Love to you and your family.
Dear Shantala , It is a privilege to know your father through you . His devotion to the family , to legacy , to work , to giving , to love and to the Lord shines on . What an honour to be his daughter . Please accept my heartfelt wishes 🙏
What a beautiful soul your father was Shantala, thank you for sharing him with us. Deep condolences and love.
My gratitude to your parents for passing on what you now so selflessly pass on to those of us blessed enough to have you as a teacher. Your father’s greatness and influence is apparent in your grace, humility, service and wisdom and speaking for myself, I know I am better for it. Sending much love and light to you and your brother at this time, Shantala. I’m glad you were able to be there for him and each other. Hari Om
My deepest and sincere condolences to you and your family for your loss.
Deepest gratitude to your father for the legacy he leaves behind through your teachings. He will continue to inspire and live on through your work.
Much love and prayers 🙏❤️
Dearest Shantala, my deepest condolences in these difficult moments to you and your family 🙏🏼
Beloved Shantala, my deepest condolences to you and your family. Much love to you and Gratitude for all that he has beautifully put into this world. 🤍
Dear Shantala, I am very sorry for your loss. I remember your dad joining some of our classes and also how moving it was when you bought me a little statue of Lalita on his behalf. My heartfelt condolences to you and your family. Hugs xxxx
Shantala,
It is so very hard to lose someone so precious. I know you will keep him with you in your heart. I am grateful to him for his help and especially for giving us you. Love, Geraldine
My heartfelt condolences, Shantala. Your family’s legacy is such a blessing and soulful inspiration. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Dear Shantala, sincere condolences and sympathy to you and your family on the loss of your father. A beautiful quote I read somewhere says, that when one life ends, another begins. That, to me, and I wish for your too, is a comforting and loving thought. The passing of your father almost coincides with the appearance (or the birth) of the beautiful books you created (together with others). Much love, strength and trust to you and your family.
I am very sorry for your lost dear Shantala. Tears came into my eyes when I just read your email. Beautiful that you were with your father and your family in this moment ! Om Sham Shanaye Namaha! 🙏✨
Extending condolences to you and your family Shantala. May your love for your father bring you comfort .
Much love and deep condolences, Shantalaji🙏 What a beautiful life and light that has reached far and touched so many lives so profoundly. I hope you find solace, comfort, uplifting oneness and true peace at this time and in the coming days. How honored we are to be part of your (spiritual) family🙏♥️
My condolences to the whole family. Your parents were very good mentors, we can see that in you. Thank you for carrying on the tradition.
May he rest in peace. ❤️✨💐
Dear Shantala,
I am so deeply sorry for your loss. Your father has been and will always be a bright light within you and your entire family. I can feel his blessings through your teaching. I hope with time the pain you are all feeling softens and what remains is complete love and a remembrance of the blessings his life has touched within you. May you be surrounded by strength and peach during this difficult time. Much love to you!
Dear Shanatala, my deepest condolences for the loss of your Father. May he rest in peace. May loving memories of his shining beautiful personality help you and your family to find peace in these difficult times.
Dear Shantala,
Deepest condolences to hear of this sad loss! May your father’s Soul Rest and Rise in Eternal Peace! May the Divine give you and your family strength to go through this difficult transition.
What an amazing legacy your father left behind to you! Now I understand where you got your inspiration from! We are all privileged to have been connected to your father indirectly through you. Om Shanti shanti shanti.
Dearest Shantala,
Condolences to you and your family. May you find comfort and peace in the memories you shared. May your father rest in light and peace.
With sympathy,
Berrin
Om Shanti
A man and a father we loved through all the stories that his daughter Shantala; The educated spiritual daughter of Bharat has narrated to us in her Veda Studies classes.
Shantala’s devotion towards a father could have only manifested from a true Bhakti heart nurtured by that wonderful Dad.
My greatest condolence to Shantala has to be by honoring Sriram ji’s life journey, through devotion, respect and Shraddha towards Shantala and her teachings.
Om Shanti
Om Shanti 🙏🙏🙏
My deepest condolences to you, Shantala. I am forever grateful to your father for the living legacy he leaves through you. Thank you for sharing so much of him with all of us. ❤️
Dear Shantalaji, I am so sorry for your loss of this wonderful man, your father. How beautiful that we have all benefitted from his great influence on you and on Veda Studies. I feel that I got to know him just a bit through your sharing of all the very special murtis that he has selected for you! What exquisite taste and what a blessing! May he rest now peacefully and may you and your family be comforted by all the love that surrounds you! Om Shanti
Shantala I’m deeply sorry to hear about your loss. Please accept my heartfelt condolences during this difficult time. May you find comfort and strength in the memories you shared. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Feel like I knew him well through you. We are lucky to have you as our teacher. His legacy shines through.. Ram Ram
Dear Shantalaji, what a blessing to have such a beautiful father. His legacy lives with all of us through you. Sending you and your family so much love in this moment. You are held by all. Condolences to your family.
Bibi
Sending you and your family so much love dear Shantalaji. Your father’s dedication and devotion will be the inspiration for this Shani Vrata.
Deep gratitude for sharing your Father ji’s practices, inspiring stories, and eternal wisdom with us, dearest Shantalaji. What a blessed life and legacy. Sending love, light, and condolences to you and your family.❤️
Dearest Shantala, As I sit in the home of Ellen Miles (yes, four of us are together IN PERSON!), Ellen, Sarah, Sri Devi, and I would like you to know that we just read this message and immediately chanted the Mahā Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra, three times. We chant everything with you in our hearts. May you and your family find all the comfort you need at this time. With love, Leslie, Ellen, Sarah, and Srī Devī.
Dear Shantalaji, my love and condolences to you, your brother and family. No words can take away the void of a deadly lovely family member but please know his legacy lives through you, Veda studies and has been transmitted through to all of us. Much love to you and family in this tender time ❤️
My deepest condolences for your loss, and I send my love as you and your family make this difficult transition.
O dearest Shantala, just reading your email now and reading this very sad message. But so touching in the way it is elegantly presented- with the biographical summary, the photos, and the possibility to send an immediate condolence note. The magic of technology! Yes you always told us stories with so much love, humour and deep respect about your Dad. Not only he has been spiritually one of the most inspiring and influential persons in your family circle – next to your Mom – but he took real interest in the community activities until the last moment possible. You are… Read more »
Dearest Shantala,
I’m sending my condolences to you and your family. I’m thinking of all the many gifts your father gave especially to Veda Studies and how those gifts will live through all who share in this legacy you have created. Bless him! Take care of your heart. 🤍 With love, Sonja
To Shantala and Family. My sincere condolences for the loss of your beloved Father. You are in my prayers. Love from Ireland 🙏❤️ Respectfully yours, Jenna
Dear Shantala, my heartfelt condolences to you, your brother and your whole family. May you find comfort and peace knowing that his legacy, like your mother’s will continue to live on through you and through the sangha of Veda Studies and therefore in all of us. I feel blessed to know you and therefore a piece of your dad. This Śani Vrata will be extra special and I hope that you can find extra strength doing the practice with all of us.
With much love and a big hug.
Dear Shantala,
I am deeply saddened to hear about the loss of your father. Please accept my heartfelt condolences during this difficult time. Your father was an exceptional person, and his legacy will undoubtedly live on through the many lives he touched. If there is anything I can do to support you, please do not hesitate to let me know.
With sincere sympathy,
Dr Geraldine Jain
I am sorry for your loss Shantalaji. I also celebrate his life, all his accomplishments, especially for bringing you into this world, and for helping lead you to your svadharma. Om shanti.
Dear Shantala,
My deepest respect for your father and the example he shared through his life of devotion and discipline.
My condolences to you and your family.
May warm memories bring you comfort and solace, and may his love and example continue to nourish, inspire and support you.
My deepest condolences for the loss of your father dear Shantalaji. May he proceed his voyage to the Divine Light.
Love, Silva
Thank you Shantala ji for sharing your father’s beautiful legacy with all of us. I am so very grateful for his guidance and support that we all received through you. Thank you for sharing his stories and introducing him to all of us. His śradha, lives on through all of you and through you in us. We are all sending our love and prayers to you and your family at this poignant moment in your life. 🧡
I am so extremely sorry for your loss, dear Shantalaji, my deepest condolences. Om shanti
I am so sorry for your father , please accept my sincerestly condolences . Much love to you and the family
Deepest condolences to you and the whole family, dearest Shantalaji. Your love for each other and the faith you both carry are a shining light that continues to illumine all that know you. Anyone who has been touched by his life is truly blessed.