• “Dada transformed me in to new person with good personality.”
• “Dada made me a better and much improved version of myself.”
• “Dada always wanted our good overall progress.”
• "For Dada development was physical, intellectual, moral and spiritual."
• "Dada also used to say that physical, intellectual, moral and spiritual practices should go hand-in-hand."
• "After joining Bengali Club I came to know what life is."
• "Dada always said – “Live your life under the light of your own Soul.”

• First two years, I was not very much into the Club. But after passing my 12th Examination, when I took drop after school; that was the turning phase of my life.
• Dada not only made me work hard but also taught me a lot about the Health and Fitness.
• I attended Club without any gap.

• Dada always appreciated the way I studied literature. He always encouraged me and wanted me to be the best.
• In 2018, Dada asked me to take Mathematics as a subject of study, for which I was not much inclined. On his persuasion I took Mathematics.

• “दादा ने जैसे मुझे बनाया और तराशा, मुझे नहीं लगता कि ऐसा इस दुनिया कोई और भी कर सकता है |”
• “शादी के बाद जिस तरह से दादा ने मेरी ज़िंदगी को बदल दिया उसे शब्दों में बयान करना बहुत कठिन और मुश्किल भरा काम है |”
• “शादी के बाद बच्चा लेने में हमें देरी लग रही थी, डॉक्टर्स से भी सलाह ली परंतु कोई भी निश्चित रूप से कुछ भी नहीं कह पा रहा था |

• “दादा ने मुझसे मेरी समस्या सुनकर बड़े आत्मविश्वास से मुस्कुराते हुए कहा कि मैं तुम्हें ठीक तो करूँगा ही और दौड़ा भी दूँगा। दादाजी की इतने आत्मविश्वास से कही हुई बात से मुझ जैसे दर्द से पीड़ित और भविष्य के लिए चिंतित व्यक्ति को एक नये जीवन की सुखद झलक दिखने लगी और मैंने खुद ही आगे बढ़कर अस्पताल से डिस्चार्ज ले लिया और क्लब आने लगा |”

• “दादाजी सभी को नि:स्वार्थ प्रेम करते थे l”
• दादा कठिन से कठिन परिस्थितियों का सामना करने का हौंसला रखते थे और हमें भी वही सिखाते थे|”
• “दादा ने पूरे क्लब को एक परिवार सा बना लिया था l”
• “हम स्वयं खुद भी अपने भविष्य के बारे में इतना नहीं सोच पाते, जितना वह हमारे भविष्य के बारे में और उसको संवारने के लिए सोचते थे l”
• “दादा बहुत स्वाभिमानी थे और हम सभी को हमेशा स्वाभिमान से जीने और रहने के लिए कहते थे |”
• “दादा ने मुझे व्यायाम व योगासन के जरिए मेरे शरीर को ऐसा ढाला कि मेरे पुत्र का जन्म बहुत सहजता और सरलता से हुआ l”
• “दादा लड़कियों और महिलाओं को आत्म सम्मान से कैसे जिया जाए यह भी सिखाते थे l”

“दिशा अग्रवाल”

Although I was far too young to remember my first time meeting Dada, my last interaction with him will be one I will cherish forever. Sitting in a chair at his desk in the Club, while waiting to meet him, I recall being almost intimidated—after all, from all I had heard about him from Dadu (R S Verma) and my father (Manish Verma).

Dada was quite an influential person, and I’d hoped I would make a good impression. But the second Dada walked through the door, I remember being in complete awe of the confidence and warmth that radiated from his booming voice and stride, and any intimidation I had immediately transformed into admiration.

He asked Dadu to leave them alone and do his exercises in the ground. Dada asked me many meaningful questions about my life in order to better understand me as a person.

In our conversations, he seemed to be one of the only people who understood the nuances of different cultures in my life considering that I am an Indian living in the U.S., and I was appreciative of the respect he showed me.

I took great enjoyment in our discussion of classic literature as we marveled over the works of Shakespeare, Orwell, and many other accomplished authors.

We had a shared understanding of the importance of the themes presented in novels such as Othello and Lord of the Flies, and I was utterly impressed by the level of sophistication in his thought process as he outlined difficult concepts like wisdom.

I also took notice of Dada’s immense knowledge of health, both physical and mental. He explained the significance of self care, a notion that can easily be lost within the whirlwind of other priorities like academics and social lives, and he helped me realize what steps I need to take in order to live a healthier lifestyle.

When I walked out of that room, I was inspired; whether it be through a renewed sense of intellectual curiosity or a determination to live a fit life, I felt as though in Dada’s attempts to get to know me better, I too gained a new understanding of myself.

Furthermore, I gained an understanding of who Dada was as a person—a strong-willed, intellectual, and thoughtful person who finds fulfillment in helping others.

Dada’s teachings have made a huge impact in my life, whether they came from direct conversations with him or through the trickle down of lessons he has taught both my father and Dadu.

Although he will be missed dearly, it is with great confidence that I can say that everyone who he has impacted, including myself, will work hard every day to carry on his legacy.

Rest in Peace.

Sincerely,

• “The second Dada walked through the door, I remember being in complete awe of the confidence and warmth that radiated from his booming voice and stride, and any intimidation I had immediately transformed into admiration.”
• “I was utterly impressed by the level of sophistication in his thought process as he outlined difficult concepts like wisdom.”
• “Dada was a strong-willed, intellectual, and thoughtful person who finds fulfillment in helping others.”

“Rhea Verma”

• “Dada had such a charismatic personality. I was thinking at this age how can someone be so physically active.”
• “Dada once told me 'Live your life under the light of your Soul”
• “Dada taught how to be optimistic even in times of difficult.”
• “Dada used to say, ‘पहला सुख है निरोगी काया' |”
• “Dada used to focus on body, mind and soul.”

I was a gawky 17 year old when I got introduced to the world of Dada. It wasn’t through meeting him though and it will still be a few years away before I meet him for the first time.

It was around 1990, we were in New Delhi and R. S. Vijayvargiya uncle and family, our fondest family friend, was our neighbor. One day he noted and asked why do you have drooping shoulders! He used to do exercise at his home every evening and asked me to join him. He started training me for exercises and showed me the importance of right posture and physical fitness.

One year later, I joined Engineering College, at Gwalior and later Papa got transferred to Indore. When I went to Indore during one of the vacations, Papa took me to introduce me to Dada. I do not remember anything specific from our first meeting but I was struck by the magnetism of his personality.

Through several meetings thereafter, in each of my trips to Indore, he deeply ingrained in me principles of physical fitness, eating healthy and intellectual curiosity.

Even when I was in hostel in my engineering college, I started waking up early morning and everyday exercises.

Since the hostel food wouldn’t be healthy, he asked me to cook my own food like sprouts, eggs, khichdi etc. for everyday dinner. My friends couldn’t figure out suddenly what happened to me. In typical hostel way, even poked fun at me but it didn’t bother me.

I still remember, every Sunday all of us friends used to go out for dinner. I used to join my friends and sit with them - while they would have fancy dinner, I had built determination to be with them but only eat bananas or some fruits.

Once I graduated from engineering college, I got an opportunity to be in Indore for 1 year and that is when I came under Dada's wings completely. I used to wake up around 4 AM and go with Papa and join him. We didn’t go straight to the Bengali Club. Dada used to do his own exercises at Residency Garden and I had the fortune of joining him there and even go for long walks around Agriculture College/Daily College, sometime just 1X1.

We would then reach the club around 6 AM and I would do my weights training over there. In just under 1 year, I was completely transformed with amazing physical build and stamina. Dada used to quote my example to others particularly on how I had developed strong thighs muscles in just under 6 months!!

While we know Dada mostly for physical fitness and certainly I had developed myself on this aspect, most important element for me was the intellectual development under his wings. I had the fortune of spending a lot of time with him. He inculcated in me what is wisdom and character. He gave me several books to read - just a few examples – Meditation and Spiritual Life (Swamy Yatishwarananda), Personality Development (Magic of Thinking Big), Sociology and Technology (Third Wave) and several others.

It is simply impossible to describe in words the impact Dada had on my life. Once I started my professional career, I moved to several places in India and abroad over the years. I wasn’t in regular touch with him, however, his teachings and influence always stayed with me.

Even today, several years later, I have in my consciousness importance of physical fitness and eating healthy. Even though I had in my genes to gain weight and obesity, I have maintained good fitness.

I shouldn’t resist a little boasting and state that I still wear Jeans with 28” waist!! :-) My colleagues at work and even family friends call me fittest in the group.

• “Most important element for me was my intellectual development under Dada’s wings.”
• “I was struck by the magnetism of his personality.”
• “He deeply ingrained in me principles of physical fitness, eating healthy and intellectual curiosity.”
• “He inculcated in me what is wisdom and character.”

“Manish Verma”

I even remember my last few days before coming to Australia, he started preparing my diet, my exercises, gave extra time and focused on me so, I don’t face any problem. The last day in the club was incredible, tear still roll my cheek remembering it, everything went like a regular morning, he gave me exercises, diet, checked on my file, I brought rabadi (रबड़ी) prepared by me for the whole club, and that day, I got memory for life, my first and last picture with Dada. I have gifted him a note of thanks in a form of my “world’s best Dada” title, as a gesture of love and respect.

I came to Australia, after 2 days, I was always in contact with him over the call. And over call I always told him even if we’re apart, I fiercely await the next time that I can talk with you for hours. I anxiously count down the days until our next meet…..

Everything we’ve shared together is forever filled in a special part of my brain and heart, ‘A place for me and my Dada’. It is somewhere I can go whenever we aren’t together and I’m missing him. It is a place I can go for advice, a good laugh, and a mood enhancer. He provided me with so much that I will never be able to pay him back. I am and all of us are so unbelievably lucky to have him. Out of all the people in the world, I got the best Dada in my life and I know he is still with me and always be with me, no day goes with his words echoing in my ear and my mind running through his glimpses and thoughts…. If I am given a chance to travel back time, I would always choose to spend more time with him, cherishing and living all the memories again…..

 But I know, he is not far; he is just next to us smiling and loving us.

• “Dada always took care of everyone and played every single role in their life with excellence.”
• “Dada always accepted as we are, and understood all of us emotionally, without showing any judgments.”
• “Dada always inspired us to achieve dreams and help us grow into strong souls.”
• “Dada pushed me to exceed my limits through his words of wisdom.”
• “Dada always followed his golden rule that right exercise in a right posture with correct alignment and degree would give the best results.”                                                                                                                                                                                 “Rashmi Verma”

• “दादा का एक्सरसाईजेस के प्रति जुनून (passion), सटीकता (accuracy or correctness), बारीकियाँ (the finer points), जुझारूपन (doggedness or persistent determination) देखने लायक था |”
• “दादा अपने स्टूडेंट से वे जैसा चाहते थे, वैसा करवा कर ही छोड़ते
• दादा हमेशा कहते थे कि क्लब ही मेरा परिवार है |
• Dada always used to say, “I am the Happiest person this sphere of the earth.”
• दादा हमेशा देने में ही विश्वास रखते थे |

थे |”

• “Dada used to treat different people in different ways.”
• “Dada was always ready to help the people to rise to a height where they could leave foot prints on the sands of the time.”
• “Dada was always anxious to help particularly the people, who do not take the life seriously.”
• “Dada was also a perfectionist in every field of life.”
• “We learn from experience, nobody learn from experience.”
• “Come out from the circumstances which you are involved in .Can spring be far away?”

• दादा के उपयोगी उद्गार – Useful quotes of Dada
  
•     “दया धर्म का मूल है, पाप मूल अभिमान। तुलसी दया ना छोड़िये जब तक घट में प्राण।“
  • “जिंदगी में जब भी परेशानियां आए तो घबराना नहीं, क्योंकि ईश्वर का यही तरीका है हमें लायक बनाने का | ईश्वर को धन्यवाद दो कि उसने तुम्हे इस लायक समझा |”
  • “अपने माता-पिता को सबसे उपर रखो, उनको कभी भी जीवन में अकेला न छोड़ो, अपने शरीर का पूरा ध्यान हमेशा रखो, हमेशा लोगों की मदद करो और जीवन में हमेशा अनुशासित रहो | हर परिस्थिति में खुश रहो, हमेशा अपना सर्वश्रेष्ठ (BEST) दो, अपने शरीर को मजबूत रखो और हमेशा बनाए रखो |”
  • “ईश्वर ने संसार की रचना करते समय हर जीव का ध्यान रखा है |”
  • “जब हम अपने जीवन में खुद को पूर्ण रूप से ईश्वर पर आश्रित कर देते है, और ऐसे में जब वह हमसे हमारी कुछ प्रिय वस्तु छीन लेता है, तब वास्तव में वह हमारे मोह का नाश कर हमें खुद के समीप ला रहा होता है। “
  “लग्नेश चौहान”
  
  

“आलसी व्यक्ति कभी अपने जीवन में उन्नति (progress) नहीं कर सकता |' यह बात दीवार पर लिख लो और रोज पढ़ना |”

“दिग्विजयसिंह सांखला (बाबा)”

• “जो बेकार चीज़ शरीर खाने के बाद फेंकता है, उसको खाने से पहले ही डस्ट बिन में फेंक दो।“
• “हमारे पास क्या है कुछ नहीं,है तो सिर्फ शरीर की फिटनेस, यही अपनी पूंजी है।“

• बॉम्बे में जूडो के अभ्यास के दौरान एक बार मेरा एक घुटना उलझ गया था तथा मुझे घुटने में तकलीफ रहने लगी थी। बताने पर पहले तो मुझे डांटा, फिर थोड़ा साउत्कटासन करवाया, और2-3 दिन में ही मेरा दर्द गायब हो गया।
• एक बार बॉम्बे में मै बाइक से गिर गया, और हैन्डल मेरे सीने में घुस गया।बडा दर्द हुआ, तथा वह पूरी तरह ठीक नहीं हुआ।बताने पर पहले तो डांट सुनी, फिर उन्होंने मुझे दोनों हाथ ऊपर कर दीवार से सट कर खड़े रहते हुए खूब सांस अंदर भर कर रोकने और सीना बाहर की ओर फुलाने को कहा, और दर्द एक ही बार में गायब। इसे मै दूसरों पर आजमा कर उनका दर्द भी दूर कर चुका हूं।

• “ना जाने कितने लोग दादा की विद्या और उनके संस्कारों की छाया में बड़े
• “दादा का समस्त जीवन जन सेवा में बीता |”
• “ना जाने कितने लोगों ने विश्व प्रसिद्ध डॉक्टरों से निराश होने के बाद दादा के बंगाली क्लब में अपनी स्वास्थ्य क्षमता का शिखर प्राप्त किया |”
• “न्यूनतम आवश्यकताओं में जीवन यापन और दिखावे से सर्वथा दूर रहना दादा के व्यक्तित्व की महानता का प्रमाण है |”

• “Dada trained his pupils in physical mental and spiritual health as a composite complete personality.”
• “Dada used to take care of total health of entire family.”
• “Dada’s command on human body and his confidence in taking decisions in difficult circumstances was remarkable.”
• “Dada used to stand like China Wall to protect continuance of routine activities of the Gym.”

• “Mind, Body and soul must grow hand in hand”
• “Everyone has a different syllabus in life”
• “Every individual has different set of skill, qualities and weaknesses.”
• “I have never heard a word ‘Failure’ from him.”
• “Maximum results with minimum efforts without taxing the body”
• “There is no work, if it is without perfection”
• “Never be afraid of anything.”
• “Decide and put in a lot of hard work and dedication until the goal starts looking smaller.”
• “हमेशा असुविधा में सुविधा ढूंढो या देखो|”

• “Be good to others in all walks of life but be selfish when it is the question of your studies and work out.”
• “He not only made us physically strong but changed our outlook and mindset towards respecting nature and be thankful to Almighty for making us the way we are. We should respect our physical form and nurture it properly.”
• "If I have tested the physical limits of a person, how can someone else rate him/her as physically unfit"

• “Those who are busy have always time & those who are lazy never have time, but excuses.”

• Dada counted5 things, which should be taken care of while exercising…viz; i)Selection of Right exercise, ii)posture,alignment and degree should always be correct, iii) Intensity of effort should be optimum ie. as per individual, iv) Speed of exercise should be that you feel each movement....and v) Repetitions for endurance and strength.
• बॉडी तो एक iron rod या लकड़ी के डंबल से ही बना दूंगा। असली चीज है bony structure और liver, spleen, gall bladder, pancreas और kidney, ये पांचों सही ढंग से काम करना चाहिए।
• दादा की सबसे प्रिय ग्राउंड एक्सरर्साइज़ थी Ball Exercises, तीन या पाँच बाल्स के साथ। वह कहते थे असली एक्सरर्साइज़ तो यही है जिसमें आपके stamina का 3 से पाँच मिनट में टेस्ट हो जाता है | और उनका चैलेंज था कि पाँच मिनट से ज्यादा उनके साथ कोई भी Ball Exercise नहीं कर सकता है | इस एक्सरर्साइज़ से आँखों के reflexes में भी बहुत सुधार आता है | Ball Exercise करवाते समय दादा जब हमारा नाम लेकर पुकारते थे, तो इसका मतलब यह होता था कि ये ‘best ball’ है और इसे कैच करना ही है |

• Always encouraged students to pursue an all round development in life
• 
  
• Made difficult tasks easy by helping students to break them down into smaller achievable targets
• 
  
• Praised students in front of all to boost their confidence.