Dr. Nataraj Namboothiripad, born in the same year I was born, 1980, is a lepidopterologist, who has a Doctoral Degree in “Himalayalan Butterflies”. To me, the transformation of him, a brilliant student, who always, during his schooling days, preferred to sit on the last bench of the class to Swami Karshni Naresh is unbelievable. Not just to me, we all his friends never ever thought even in our wild dream about this transformation.

I was lucky enough to share his class for a good 11 years. He was a student who stood first in all the sessions and the years we studied together, right from Class VIIth to M.Sc. Often, we all were jealous of him.

When we look back at our days of education, we see him as a widely read boy, an ardent communist, with his vociferous speeches shook the entire college buildings and often brought the classes to a stand still for good causes.

Recently he wrote to me, “The greatest gift I got in my life is Guru Maharajji”.

Born to a very religious family, he was so devoted to studies and writings. Later during the High School studies, he started concentrating on flowers and insects. His eagerness and devotion towards flowers and insects took him even to the most inhospitable terrains of Nanda Devi Biosphere. For his research on Butterflies he trekked thousands of kilometers in the Nanda Devi Biosphere.

At the age of 19, he penned down his autobiography, titled, “Amma, I love you”. When we met for a party on 31st December, 1999, he presented the original hand written copy of that to me.

A person who loves reading, writing, music, cooking, travelling, documenting events in his young days might not had thought of becoming a sanyasi. He always believed in destiny.

A net savvy, he can be contacted at swamikarshninaresh@yahoo.co.in He does not believe in blogging, but replies to each and every mail he receives. He uses technology at its best, whether, it is computer or cameras, and he always goes for the best.

Nowadays, we friends address him, Swamiji, even though he prefers to be called Nataraj. I still remember the days we studied together and addressed him Comrade. As he himself puts in, all is destiny.

-By Swapna Balakrishnan