Dada J.P. Vaswani's 87th Birthday Celebrations
Celebrations at St. Mira's College 26th July 2005
Chief guest Mrs. K. Roy Choudhary

              The skies seemed to have opened up; it had rained non-stop since the previous night; but the grey clouds and the relentless rains could not dampen the spirit of St. Mira’s College students who eagerly awaited their beloved Dada’s visit during Anjali Week.

              The sports girls had planned a ‘guard of honour’ to receive Dada at the gate and escort him into the auditorium. The rain god could not upset their plan – they modified it and set up the guard of honour inside the bright and warmly lit Indulaxmi Auditorium.
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              Poised for focussed expansion into vocational streams, management education and eventually to academic autonomy, the college was true to its tradition in its ‘birthday gift’ to Dada – week-long social service programmes in which students and teachers would participate; and pledges to avoid the food of violence from deeply committed students.

              Expressing his appreciation and gratitude to these students, Dada emphasized the message of His Master – and the Founder of St. Mira’s College – that Creation is one family, and that our duty is to love and protect birds and animals which were our younger brothers and sisters in God’s divine plan.

              In the invigorating Q & A session that followed, students had several questions to pose before Dada – and his answers, as always, were precise, clear-cut and wholly satisfactory.

              “Is it true that women should not recite the “Gayatri Mantra?” a worried teenager wanted to know. “I urge you not only to recite – but to utter the Gayatri mantra as a silent prayer whenever and wherever you can,” Dada replied. “In its essence, it is a prayer that asks for inner light and wisdom,” he added.

              “Why are Hindus stuck with the unforgiving and relentless Law of Karma?” another student asked, “Why is our religion not a forgiving one?”

              “That is just not true,” said Dada with the reassurance that only the Guru can give to his dear disciples, “
for the Lord Himself has assured us in the Gita –

              Renouncing all rites and writ duties

              Come unto Me alone for single refuge;

              Do not fear; I shall save you from all bondage to sin and suffering.

              Of this, have no doubt.

              “Can there be a more forgiving attitude, a greater promise of release from sin?” Dada asked, delivering a crystal-clear answer as a rhetorical question.

              Also present on the joyous occasion was Ms. Kumkum Roy Chaudhury, Asst. Director, Sahara India. Dr. Madhavi Vaidya was felicitated at Dada’s hands for having directed a film that has been selected to receive the Rajat Kamal for the best documentary film.