While Padmashri P. R. Krishna Kumarji, aniyettan or Uncle as I called him was many things to many people, and will mostly be remembered for putting Ayurveda on the World Map, for me he will always be the most beautiful rare human being I have been blessed to know in my life. He posessed a generosity of spirit, strength of purpose and a benevolence of being far beyond anything I had ever experienced. His life was about just one thing: Purpose and for him, that purpose was Ayurveda. Though our families have known each other for years/generations, with my father having treated his father, the late P. V. Rama Warrier, till the very end, he came into my life personally as a gift when he released my book in Coimbatore in 2018..and then went on to support my work at every opportunity ever since. And its not just me, he was the pillar of strength and inspiration for so many people especially students who came his way, either from the Ayurvedic College or the Avanashilingam College that he was the Chancellor of..He had the time to listen to everybody who came to him, and he would do his best to help them. "What can I do for you?" His life was completely dedicated to the service to Ayurveda and humanity and the impact he had on both will live on..far beyond his time. Though he struggled with many health issues, his strength of mind was a source of wonderment to me as he lived an inspired life, seemingly operating on an endless source of energy...from waking up at 3.30 am in the morning and functioning on barely 4 hours of sleep every night, he lived an incredibly busy and full life packing more into his day and life than most people would in many lifetimes. He was a man with a mission and sought to make the most of every second. Time is God he would say. So while he lived a full life, on his own terms, climbed many mountains, achieved the pinnacle of success not just in the field of Ayurveda but in the hearts of people as well.. he leaves behind a vaccum in the lives of those who loved him, shoes that are too big to ever be filled???? Just grateful that our lives crossed at all. His incredible spirit will live on through all those who knew him, loved him and were blessedly touched by his radiance. ????

I do not know where to begin. I do not have words, which is frightening for someone who always does. Krishnakumarji was my mentor in more ways than I can name. I remember the day I visited his office in Coimbatore - disheartened, uncertain about my future in Ayurveda. My first thought was, strangely, that surely his chair must have been placed on some kind of step behind his desk - for even sitting, he was taller than me. It was only later that I realized that his chair was indeed placed on the floor, and that he was, in reality, a giant of a man. This larger than life image of Krishnakumarji was not restricted to his person alone, but also his presence. He awed. His presence commanded respect. He transformed any space he was in, and filled it with warmth - genuine, unsentimental, clean warmth. It is his presence, more than anything, that I will miss - a presence that nothing can replace. The day I met Krishnakumarji, he asked me, "Do you want a degree, or do you want knowledge?". I looked long at him, and finally answered, 'Knowledge". I had dropped out of the college I was studying in after a year, and was on the verge of quitting Ayurveda, depressed with the state of my current college education. My mother had taken me to meet Krishnakumarji as a last resort - believing that if anything could change my mind, it was him. I did not know on the day I met him, that my life was about to change forever. He told me that day, that if I wanted knowledge, there were over 70 Vaidyas in the institute (the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Coimbatore), and that I could approach as many of them as I wanted. He opened every possible learning avenue at his disposal to me - the medicine preparation unit, rounds with doctors, consultation rooms, yoga, ongoing projects, the research centre... he created for me, in AVP, a modern day Gurukula. But he made one thing very clear - I was not to bother him with daily nitigrities. I was only to approach him for absolutely important things. Beyond having opened up this opportunity, there was nothing he could do for me. In front of me, he sent a mail to all his colleagues introducing me as a student of Ayurveda, who was there to learn. "If someone doesn't accept to teach you, it is not their fault, but you who is undeserving of it. Make yourself deserving of a Guru," he said. I did not believe he would really leave me so alone at the time, but very soon realized he actually meant every word. And there, a journey of extraordinary learning began. Over the span of one year, I learnt how to make medicines; I learnt to read, write and speak Malayalam; I studied the Ashtanga Hridaya almost completely under Vaidya Krishnan Nambiar and Vaidya Vasudevan Namboothiri; Dravyaguna with Rashmi ma'am; I studied the Hatha Yoga Pradeepika with Hari sir, and Sanskrit under Priya teacher; I got to observe and learn about Panchakarma, and interact with stalwart physicians like Vaidya KG Raveendran and even go on rounds with them occasionally. I served food everyday in the temple Annadanam hall, and occasionally even helped with cooking. My day began with Yoga. I do not say this to show off, but to describe what an extraordinary opportunity Krishnakumarji opened up for me. I found myself in the unique position of being friends with the sweepers, cooks, therapists, temple priests, junior doctors, senior doctors and Krishnakumarji. I learnt to survive. I learned to learn - with humility and tentativeness. My education in a Krishnamurti school had left me with a degree of entitlement in knowledge seeking - of course it would come to me, and I could decide what to do with it, and whether it was worth it or not. I am not decrying the value of my Krishnamurti education, but Krishnakumarji did something different - he put me in a space where I was the seeker of knowledge - I had to find the agency to learn, learn to deal with people's scorn and incredulity at my having left a college education for this, learn to go back and once again ask people to teach me, learn humility and resilience - I learnt the hard way, that in knowledge, there can be no entitlement. I learnt patience. I learnt, as Krishnakumarji would say, "in learning, you do not exist. Throw yourself out, and knowledge will come." Krishnakumarji was one of the most compassionate people I've met - he was compassionate enough to let me learn my lessons the hard way, but was always there for me in ways I cannot fathom - His pride when he heard about my college achievements, his presence in the Hridayamritam finals in 2015, his readings with me whenever he found the time - the Bhagavad Gita, Osho, Tagore, Shankaracharya ..., his constant reminder to me, even after college, that I must do something with all the knowledge I had gained, his unwavering support and questions about my career - driving me to find my calling, my path. Even if I did not see him, I always knew he was there. Krishnakumarji was always there for me. His loss means things I cannot begin to articulate. Even these many words I have written feel meaningless, for they cannot, do not capture, the man or what he meant to me. I feel as if I have lost an anchor, a foundation stone - and am engulfed in the deepest emptiness. How can you fathom something you can't see? Is it possible to feel sorrow so completely, that all words feel like faint imitations? Others will write what his many contributions to Ayurveda were, of the unparalleled visionary he was, and of his numerous achievements. But all I know is that I have lost a mentor, a guide, a friend, today, and it is a loss that can never be replaced. I pray with all my heart, that wherever he is, one of the greatest human beings I will every know, Krishnakumarji, is at peace, and that his blessings will show me the way in my darkest hours, as they always have. With the deepest love and Pranams

We students will remember the values portrayed by our Chancellor and practice them in our life and career

Chancellor Ji was the one noble soul that I was blessed to meet and acquaint with for a short span of five years. His kind gesture of recognizing, appreciating and applauding every soul around him for their good work is a noble experience that humbled us. He said" I will be with you all in all good work that you do" We miss Ji very dearly and his untimely demise can never be digested. With thoughts of his virtual presence we hope to move forward.

You are a humble man Who holds no greedy plan; Words, works were same, but Never done it for earning fame; Your lips parted in a smile, so pure Which was your all time attire; We gained knowledge by your presence Now pained by your absence; we will see your smile, in every ray of sunshine after rain! Show us a way to get rid of pain! Colours have lost their hue And our hearts are missing YOU...

ஆரிய வைத்தியத்துக்கு தலைவராக பொறுப்பேற்று பல வைத்தியத்தை கற்று தந்த நீங்களே தங்கள் மறைவின் துக்கத்தை ஆற்ற வைத்தியம் கற்று தரவில்லையே ஐயா! எத்துணையோ சிறப்புகள், புகழ்கள் அத்துனையும் எண்ணி கூற பத்து நிமிடங்கள் போதாது ஐயா! இத்தனை நற்குணகள் பெற்ற தங்களை கண்ணார கண்டு, தங்கள் பொன்மொழிகளை கேட்டும் வாய்ப்பு பெற்றதை எண்ணி பார்க்கும் போது நாங்கள்தான் அதிர்ஷ்டசாலிகள் ஐயா! இவ்வளவு ஆண்டுகள் தங்கள் அறவனைப்பில் அவினாசிலிங்கம் முத்துக்களை வழிநடத்துனீர் என்றும் தங்கள் வழி தடங்களை தொடர்ந்து நாங்கள்...