Dear Srila Guru Maharaja, HH Srila Lokanatha Swami Maharaja, Maharajas, Prabhus and Matajis, please accept my respectful obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
It is sad that we have to announce the depart of a beloved Vaisnava, HG Ranganatha Prabhu @ Mr. Ramakolunthu, aged 88, today at 9.33 AM. HG Ranganatha Prabhu is a disciple of HH Srila Lokanatha Swami Maharaja. Last Wednesday, 2nd May, HG Simheswara Prabhu, HG Baladeva Prabhu and me visited his grace at his home in Ipoh. He was not well and his heart was only functioning at 20% and could not speak much.
However, HG Ranganatha Prabhu left body peacefully, while hearing a recording of Srila Prabhupada chanting Hare Krishna. ISKCON Malaysia would like to record our deepest appreciation to Bhakta Yogaswaran, who is his son-in-law. Bhakta Yogaswaran had taken care of HG Ranganatha Prabhu so well that we doubt if even one’s own family members could render such care with so much devotion. May Sri
Krishna bless Mr Yogaswaran for having render this wonderful seva to a wonderful Vaisnava like HG Ranganatha Prabhu.
HG Ranganatha Prabhu, like every British educated Indian, was a perfect gentleman and an Officer. Below is a summarized biography of his grace’s colorful life story. Those who know him intimately, will speak about his sense of duty, discipline, attention to every detail, meticulous, cleanliness, neatness, restrain of senses and mind, devotion, gentleness and loving nature.
We will announce the timing of the funeral as soon as possible, which is probably tomorrow in Ipoh.
Attached is a picture taken during our visit. Below is a beautiful article written by HG Simheswara Prabhu when celebrating HG Ranganatha Prabhu’s 87 birthday at Ipoh Temple as organized by HG Param Brahma Prabhu, and graced by HH Swami Srila Bhakti Vighna Vinasa Narasimha Maharaja.
Ranganatha prabhu’s 87th year birthday celebrations at ISKCON Ipoh Written by Simheswara dasa What one can do at 87 years of age? A lot actually! No giving up! Even if on a wheel chair! And no experience in modern sms, e-mail, facebook! No need all these modern tech, HG Ranganatha prabhu is doing much more than what we can do at 30,40,50 and 60 years of age while we are “gifted” with all the modern hitech communications.
HG Ranganatha Prabhu (pix above) a very senior member of ISKCON celebrated his 87 birthday at the ISKCON Ipoh branch on17 April 2011.
Ranganatha prabhu is initiated by HH Lokanatha Maharaj and has been in ISKCON since 1978. He always remembers the time when he met HG Yadubara prabhu and his good wife HG Visaka devi mataji in Penang and said he was somewhat useful in taking them around the Island for preaching programmes. In his early days he was with the ISKCON Bukit Mertajam and Butterworth centres and later moved to Ipoh.
Ranganatha prabhu was born in 1925 in Bukit Mertajam and attended school at the Bukit Mertaham High School.(more about Ranganatha prabhu’s lifestory will be published as updates) Parabrahma dasa (Temple President of ISKCON Ipoh and HH Bhakti Vigna Vinash Narasimha Maharaj with Ranganatha Prabhu. HH Bhakti Vigna Vinash Narasimha Maharaj especially came from Kuala Lumpur to attend the programme and gave a class about enthusiasm in devotional service. At 87 years old Ranganatha prabhu keeps himself busy even while on a wheel chair to actively raise funds for the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple of Devotion & Understanding building project.
He also takes active part in giving lots of advice about management to the Ipoh temple committee. His concern for the project cannot be underestimated. The Sri Sri Radha Krishna temple building committee members are very much indebted to Ranganatha prabhu for setting such a high standard of dedication which shows that enthusiasm is not hindered by any physical conditions. Ranganatha prabhu is also a very good writer and speaker.
Gokula Laxmi mataji and Yogeswaran gave renditions of Krishna bhajans. Ranganatha prabhu has introduced many prominent members of the public to the building project amongst whom are Dato Ambiga Sreenivasagam, Dato M. Kuppan, Dato Dr. Arunsalam and Dr. Uma. Amongst those present for the programme were also Dato Madhuri Majumdar, advisor for ISKCON Ipoh.
Appended is an autobiography by HG Ranganatha Prabhu My Encounter With The British Government by Mr Ramakolunthu @ HG Ranganatha Prabhu [summarised by HG Santi Vardhana Caitanya dasa]
I was born in 1925 in Bukit Mertajam and attended school at the Bukit Mertajam High School which was the most prestigious school in the then Province Wellesley. When I was 13 years old, I was told by my father that the British were ruling most of the world and in India Mahatma Gandhi was leading the Independence movement. Although I was young then, I began revolt against foreign domination. I would refuse to sing the British National Anthem and encourage my friends to do the same as singing it would mean glorifying the British Empire.
I was 16 years old when the Second World War broke out and the whole population of East Asia suffered from notorious Japanese Army occupation. After the war, many independence movements rose up in Malaya. I joined the Malayan Railway in June 1946, the same year Mr John A Thivy founded the MIC in Kuala Lumpur.
In early part of 1950, I was transferred from the Malayan Railway Headquarters in Sentul to Perai and in the same year, at age 25, founded the MIC Perai Branch. My friend Dato Govindaraju was the General Secretary of the MIC and referring to MIC Perai, he would say that it was the most powerful and active branch in the country despite the Emergency.
The inauguration of MIC Perai was held in 1950 at Perai Hindu Sabha, behind the Sri Vinayagar Temple and attended by 800 Indians where I made the inaugural speech. The main theme of my speech was centered on Independence and elections to the Local, Municipal an National Legislature. British Special Branch Officers were there taking notes and I was a marked man from hereon.
In 1953, I invited the MIC Headquarters to have the Seventh Annual Conference in Perai and this was accepted. Eleborate arrangements were made with the venue at Perai Tamil School, a wooden building then but which easily accoomodated all delegates from Malaya and Singapore. Since Perai had no hotels then, some delegates stayed in Penang and Bukit Mertajam. I put few of them in my house. Amongst the delegates who stayed in my house was Tan Sri Devaki Krishnan while all others have passed away.
The Seventh Annual Conference was a very important Conference and I made the Inaugural Speech, especially on the co-operation between UMNO, MCA and MIC. I moved the most important resolution in the annals of the Malayan Indian Congress, viz, that the MIC should go into a partnership with UMNO and MCA, which was unanimously passed. Tun VT Sambanthan became the President of MIC in 1955 and he pursued this matter vigorously and the result was the birth of UMNO, MCA, MIC Alliance and subsequent Independence of the country.
Due to my political activities, I received transfer order to a remote railway station in Pahang as I became a threat to the British rule. At that time my wife was not well and I produced a Medical Certificate and my transfer was cancelled but my file was kept in view. Six months
later, I again received a transfer to another remote railway station in Pahang where earlier the Communsts had taken over a nearby rubber plantations. I had to decide whether to remain in politics or serve as a civil servant, and I chose the latter. It was at this station that I had a close encounter with a tiger. Later I was promoted as the Southern District Officer for the Malayan Railway.
Sometime in 1960′s I was posted as the Officer of the Malayan Railway for the Northern District where I meet HG Jaganatha Ballabha dasa, who served as the Bukit Mertajam Station Master. We formed as great friendship and became a member of the ISKCON in 1978.
I am currently residing at No 19, Jalan Bandar Baru Tambun 6, Bandar Baru Tambun, 31400 IPOH and could be reached by telephone number: 055461584.
Sent by Santi Vardhana (svcdas@yahoo.com) to His Holiness Lokanath Swami
