Sri Sathya Sai Educare Gurus

“May we both be guided and protected. May we progress together and achieve spiritual splendors together, through our studies. May no trace of displeasure or disturbance pollute our relation.” 

-Sathya Sai Speaks Vol 15

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Pre - Balvikas

With Swami’s grace, Sis. Viju Patankar has been teaching Pre Balvikas for the last 13 years.   She is a grandmother. She love young  kids, and especially their innocence and their pure heart. 

She believe that it is the right time to start and that at that young age they can be  molded easily with good  values through the stories, fun activities and music. Her classes are always a fun place to be in with a lot of energy and love.

Sis. Sampashree Nayak has been a devoted follower of Sai Baba since childhood, inspired by her mother’s guidance and their shared tradition of attending bhajans every Sunday. She also spent several years as a Bal Vikas student, deepening her spiritual foundation. This is her 2nd year as a co-teacher and she is very eager to be starting in Pre-Balvikas.

Professionally, Sis. Sampashree is a Software Engineer. Her journey reflects a harmonious blend of technical expertise and enduring faith.

Sis. Melisha Jivanji, along with her husband and two young children, relocated from South Africa to the United States in 2024. Their journey  was inspired by a desire to preserve their cultural heritage and values for their children, while deepening their collective growth in Swami’s teachings. As a Pre Bal Vikas Guru, Sis. Melisha treasures this role as a meaningful opportunity to expand her own understanding and, at the same time, nurture the spiritual growth of the youngest members of the community. She is committed to walking the path of love, service, and devotion alongside her family and students, aiming to establish a strong spiritual foundation that will help them blossom into compassionate and loving individuals—both for themselves and for the greater world.

Swami's Roses

Sis. Saikavitha, raised in a Sai family, is dedicated to teaching Swami’s values to children. She attended SSE, participated in Sai activities, and now works as an Internal Medicine Physician at Memorial Hermann. She joined as an Educare parent volunteer in 2023 and then became a first time Educare guru in 2024 teaching Group 1. 

She enjoys spending time with kids and listening to Swami’s Satsang and Bhajans. 

From her earliest years, Sis. Sanjusha Anumala has been a devoted follower of Swamy, inspired from the moment of her first darshan in Whitefield. A proud alumna of Swamy’s educational institutions, she has cherished every moment spent in the divine company, gaining invaluable lessons that continue to shape her life.

Her journey began in Balvikas, where she nurtured a deep connection to the teachings and values imparted by Swamy. Guided by an enduring desire to give back, Sis. Sanjusha has consistently sought ways to serve and express her gratitude. 

Sis. Arthi began her journey with Swami in 2024 as an SSE parent and feels blessed to deepen her understanding of Swami’s life, teachings, and values. What started as Sunday School for her daughter has become a meaningful spiritual experience for the entire family.

This year, she is happy to serve as an assistant teacher for Swami’s Roses class. In addition to spending time with her family, she finds joy in music, bhajans, and chanting slokas, which help her feel closer to Swami.

Group 1A

Sis. Krithika, who has been in Swami’s fold for over thirty years, served previously as an SSSE guru for Pre Balvikas and currently teaches Group 1. She previously participated in the Sai Center in India with her mother, especially enjoying Sai Bhajans. 

Sis. Viji Murali is a Balvikas guru with a deep devotion to Shirdi Sai Baba and a lifelong love for working with children. Raised in a traditional joint family, she brings warmth, faith, and dedication to her service. Through Balvikas, she looks forward to learning and growing alongside the children while sharing Baba’s boundless love.

Bro. Pappa Kumar has been in Swami’s fold for 25 years. he has served as a Group 1 &  2 guru, receiving training from Sis. Bernice Mead and participating in teacher enrichment. He has taught at both Sacramento and S Houston Sai Centers. Teaching children is both enjoyable and a spiritual practice for him.

Bro. kumar also currently serving as a center president. He enjoys taking part in community seva such as At Home Narayana Seva and Gogreen Seva. Professionally he works as Research Faculty at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Group 1B

Sis. Meena is blessed to have come into Swami’s fold through a close friend from Tampa, FL back in 2003. She joined as a first-time assistant teacher in 2024 and continues to teach Group 1. Sis. Meena has two kids and currently works in Product Development for an oil and gas company.

For her, being with kids makes her feel as though she is with Swami.

Sis. Raji Shankar is a mother to an 12-year-old Group 3 Balvikas student, Sis. Raji cherishes the opportunity to share in the spiritual journey with her son. She finds joy in music, chanting slokas, and singing bhajans, which continue to enrich her life and service. Her family has been devoted to Swami for more than five decades, and she herself was a Balvikas student and an active volunteer in the Sai organization from childhood.

Sis. Raji is an IT professional, currently enjoying a career break.

Group 1C

Sis. Pooja Patankar is a Sai Parent and Sai Spiritual Education Guru introduced to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba at birth. She completed all SSE levels at South Houston Sai Center as a student and trained as a teacher in 2009. Inspired by Sai Baba’s Mahavakya on Leadership, Sis. Pooja believes leadership begins in childhood through Five Human Values, fueling her 15+-year corporate HR career and current executive coaching business. Sis. Pooja has taught SSE Groups 1 and 4 at various Sai Centers and mentors Executive MBA students. 

Outside work, Sis. Pooja enjoys Bharatanatyam (Arangetram completed in 2005), CrossFit, traveling, new restaurants, painting with her daughter, and supporting her son in basketball.

Sis. Priya Mohan is a Sai parent and has participated in the Sai community for over 12 years after learning about Swami’s service initiatives. Sis. Priya works as a pharmacist and has a son who has been in Educare right from Pre Balvikas. Currently, Sis. Priya is teaching Group 1 Educare. Sis. Priya has an interest in working with children and teaching, and is actively involved in service activities.

Group 2A

Sis Nithya Sherman has been active in the Sai community from a young age, supporting her children through SSE programs in Singapore and the US. Inspired by their growth into caring YAs, she became a SSE co-teacher in 2018 and has led Group 2 for 9 years. She  completed her SSE teacher training in 2020. She contributes to the SSSGC National Educare Curriculum team and is dedicated to nurturing young children. Her interests include dance, music, gardening, and seva, and she regularly participates in devotional singing and volunteering with her family. Professionally, Sis Nithya works as a Finance & HR Administrator and teaches dance at her own Dance school.

Bro. Sai Prudhvi was born into a Sai family and grew up as a Balvikas student. He was later blessed by Swami to study at Puttaparthi. After moving to the United States, he took part in the Balvikas program in Pullman, WA, where he has taught different groups. He completed Balvikas teacher training in 2016 and renewed his certification with SSSGC in 2026. He is grateful to be part of the Balvikas program.

Neha was introduced to Sri Satya Baba in 2006 after her marriage and has been in Swami’s fold since then. Her son is a current student and has attending the program since Pre Balvikas. Neha is currently an assistant teacher for Group 2A. Her interests include music, singing and reading. Neha works in the financial industry in Program Management role. She holds Masters degree in Finance and Economics.

Group 2B

Sis. Pavithra is the parent of two young adults who have both completed the Educare program. Her association with Sri Sathya Sai Baba began during her high school years in Bangalore, where she first encountered Him in Brindavan while her mother participated as a singer. This initial introduction led to active involvement in Sathya Sai activities both in Bangalore and subsequently in the United States. The SSE (Sathya Sai Education) program has further enhanced her commitment through regular introspection.

She received her SSE training from Sis Bernice Mead in 2011 and updated her credentials with the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council in 2024. Sis. Pavithra has contributed significantly as an SSE Guru for over 14 years, teaching Groups 1 through 4. Her roles have included serving as SSE Coordinator (South Houston), participating in the National SSE Teacher Training Team, facilitating several SSE enrichment sessions, mentoring teachers, engaging with the National Teacher Study Circle Team, and most recently contributing to the SSSGC National Parenting Initiative, which produced the Harmonious Homes series. She currently serves as Center Educare Coordinator and Region 10 Educare Coordinator, positions she has held since 2021.

Sis. Pavithra is a technologist specializing in product management. In her personal time, she enjoys music, painting, reading, and cartooning. Her dedication to supporting children’s spiritual development remains a central aspect of her work and personal fulfillment.

After her marriage, Sis. Virajaa Pammi was introduced to Swami’s teachings through her husband’s devoted family. What began as a family tradition has grown into a deeply personal spiritual journey, enriched by her love of listening to and singing bhajans.A Software Engineer and proud mother of two, she serves as a Bal Vikas Guru and looks forward to sharing the joy of bhajans and Swami’s message of love and service with her students, while continuing to deepen her own devotion alongside them.

Sis. Viji has been in Swami’s fold since the early 1990s, through bhajans and samithi activities in Chennai. Her father served as a Samithi Convener and her brother studied in Puttaparthi.  Sis. Viji has taught Bal Vikas since 2012—previously Group 3 in California, and Group 1 for the past 9 years in Texas. She is a substitute teacher in Katy ISD and mother to three boys, 2 young adults and 1current SSE students. Her interests include singing bhajans, music, gardening, and service.

Group 3

Sis. Sridevi Devaraj  has served as an Educare instructor for Group 2 and Group 3 children for the past 20+ years. She is formally trained to teach SSSE and most recently renewed her certification with the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council in 2024.

Sis. Sridevi teaches values-based education to children. Professionally, she is the Medical Director of the Texas Children’s Hospital laboratories and serves as a Professor of Pathology at Baylor College of Medicine. She also participates in community service initiatives and encourages involvement from children and individuals of all ages, focusing on sharing and community engagement.

Sis. Vidya Sudhakar was introduced to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba at an early age and participated in Balvikas. Her two daughters, ages 14 and 11, are Educare students. Sis. Vidya frequently sings bhajans and engages with devotional music.

She worked in the IT sector for more than ten years before transitioning to education, where she now works with children, facilitating learning and values development. 

Sis Ajaya was called to Swami at the age of 16 while she was a sophomore in college, beginning a lifelong journey of service and devotion. Over the years, she has had the joy of teaching Balvikas students from Pre-K through high school, serving as Balvikas Coordinator, and contributing to early curriculum development for the program.

After taking a hiatus to focus on being a Balvikas mom, she continued to support the program through plays, behind-the-scenes service, and parenting classes, while also working as a professional educator in the school district. She is the proud mother of two Balvikas graduates who are active Young Adults. This year, Sis Ajaya looks forward to returning to the role of Balvikas teacher and partnering with families as they continue together on this spiritual journey.

Sis Sumana’s Sai journey began in childhood, blessed to be named by Swami and to spend seven years in His presence at Sri Sathya Sai Primary School in Puttaparthi. After moving to the United States, she continued her journey through Sai Centers in Houston, Bethesda, and Tri-Valley. She now lives in Cypress, Texas, with her husband and two children and is grateful to serve as a Bal Vikas teacher, sharing Swami’s love and values with the children.

Group 4

Sis. Gauri Potdar has been involved with the Sai Center since 2001, when she began attending bhajans in Arlington, Texas. She has been blessed to be part of several regional trips to Parthi where she participated in musical offerings to Swami as part of the young adult group, including the World Youth Conference in 2007. Sis. Gauri has served as a local center and regional YA coordinator and has been involved in the Educare program as a teacher since 2009.

She is a Sai parent to 2 kids and has been part of numerous balvikas music and drama programs. Sis. Gauri works in the energy industry in finance, strategy and business development roles. She holds degrees in math and economics and is a CFA charterholder.

Sis. Panchavi Radhakrishnan has been teaching Balvikas for the past 10 years. She has two daughters who graduated from the Sai Educare program. With Swami’s grace, she had the opportunity to complete the Sathya Sai International Leadership program and graduated in Prashanthi Nilayam in 2018. She is a CPA by profession.

Bro. Gopi Balakrishnan is a Sai Parent of young adults, both of whom have graduated from the Educare program. He has served as a Bal Vikas for Group 3 and Group 4 classes for 15+ years. In 2011, he completed SSE training under Ms. Bernice Mead and renewed his certification through the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council in 2024. Bro. Balakrishnan contributes to the SSSGC national Educare curriculum team, with a particular emphasis on Group IV curriculum development. 

He became involved in Sathya Sai activities at a young age and attended school in Trivandrum, Kerala, where he was affiliated with the Madhuvanam Sathya Sai Ashram during the 1990s. Bro. Balakrishnan holds a Master’s degree in Electric Power Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, and currently works in technology management and digital transformation within the energy and supply chain sectors. 

Sis. Deepa Devarakonda has been an instrument of Swami’s grace since 1998. She is passionate about sharing Swami’s message and expanding access through virtual and hybrid classrooms and currently teaches Group 3. Her children have benefited deeply from Educare, and she strives to create engaging learning experiences for others. She completed SSE training initially in 2008 and renewed her certification through the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council in 2022. Sis. Deepa is also part of the SSSGC national Educare curriculum team.

In addition to her involvment Educare, Deepa actively participates in Seva activities and enjoys learning and singing Bhajans. Professionally, she serves as a Senior IT Business Analyst. A lifelong learner, she is passionate about integrating technology and education to enrich classroom experiences and foster deeper understanding.