June--14--2011 Tuesday
The Saint and the Scientist (1896 – 1969)
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Introduction His Holiness. Swami Jnanandaji was then the Head of the Department of Nuclear Physics, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam. I joined the Department during July—1962 as a student of M.Sc. course. He was not teaching any classes for M.Sc. students. But he was guiding research students for Ph.D. He was much respected for his noble qualities of head and heart; for his self-discipline, exemplary conduct & character, and his punctuality . He was always kind and considerate to students; but he was strict as far as discipline and conduct of students as well as teachers in the Department were concerned. Perfect discipline prevailed in the Department of Nuclear Physics during his regime as Head of the Department. He was our internal examiner officially for all the five papers in final year M.Sc. examinations. Also he was in viva-voce examination as internal examiner. He was very considerate and tried to encourage and reduce the examination fear of the students. Later I joined for research and got registered under Swamiji’s guidance. I was with him till his ten-years (1955—65) contract as Professor and Head of the Department expired during July—1965. Swamiji was continued as Professor Emeritus in the Department till his death. But I was shifted by the University authorities to work under Dr. V. Lakshminarayana, who took charge as the in-charge head of the department. Finally I got my Ph.D. Degree during 1970, under the guidance of Prof. V. Lakshminaryana garu (an eminent Professor of International reputation; he was the first student to get his D.Sc. degree award under the guidance of Swamiji). I had close personal contact with H.H.Swamiji till his death during September,1969. I deemed it was my good fortune to be associated with H.H.Swamiji, as my Guruji, both in science and general religion. So I like to explain his horoscope, as my tribute to H.H. Swamiji.
Usually, a person can be a saint or a scientist. But Swami Jnanandaji was a unique person; he was both a saint and a scientist. He did about 10 years of penance / meditation in Garwal region of Himalayas. He wrote many books on Sri Krishna and Philosophy and Hinduism. Later he went abroad and took two Doctorate degrees, one from Prague University and the other from Liverpool University (U.K.), just with his background of high school education in Bhimavaram only. He was much admired for his extraordinary brilliance as a scientist; he worked with world-renowned Nuclear Scientist Prof. James Chadwick, (Nobel-laureate and discoverer of neutron) and earned a Doctorate Degree under his guidance.
