We are deeply grieved to announce the passing of Dr. Rajesh (Rajeshwaramma), a dedicated disciple of H.H. Swami Rama who served the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust (HIHT) in various capacities including Director, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Director, Combined Therapy Program, Medical Director of Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Member of HIHT Society and its Governing Body and later Vice President of the Society. She also served as a Member of the Board of Management of HIHT University and Member of Board of Governors of Swami Rama Himalayan University.
Dr. Rajesh passed her MBBS from Guntur Medical College in 1950 and MD in Pediatrics from Osmania University in 1964. She left India for New York in 1967. She did her residency in Pediatrics and later specialized in Rehabilitation Medicine. She worked at the Oak Forest Hospital in Illinois for many years where she met and befriended Dr. Achala Singhal and Dr. Anil Singhal. When they told Dr. Rajesh that they were moving to India to be a part of the hospital mission of H.H. Swami Rama, she immediately said that she would join them. Dr. Achala Singhal told Swami Rama about Dr. Rajesh and he at once approved her coming to HIHT. Dr. Rajesh briefly visited Swamiji at Honesdale, PA and immediately recognized him as her Guru. She resigned her hospital job, settled her U.S. affairs and moved to HIHT in 1991, donating a substantial portion of her savings to the mission.
At HIHT, many of us were charmed by her gentle, caring demeanor, her strong faith in her Guru, her loving involvement in the lives of her friends and colleagues and her sincere commitment to spiritual sadhana. She passed away in a manner that reflected her spiritual stature. She was totally detached from her body and worldly affairs, had no fear of death and her only desire was to be absorbed at the feet of her Guru. Her departure was not a cause for mourning but a celebration of life and spiritual emancipation.
Dr. Prakash Keshaviah
