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 12 years.   She is a grandmother and lives in Katy, TX. 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 first year as a co-teacher and she is very eager to be starting in Pre-Balvikas.

Professionally, Sis. Sampashree is a Software Engineer, currently residing with her family in Houston, TX. Her journey reflects a harmonious blend of technical expertise and enduring faith.

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. This year, she is teaching a newly formed group known as Swami’s Roses.

She enjoys spending time with kids and listening to Swami’s Satsang and Bhajans. Sis. Saikavitha lives in Sugarland, Texas with her husband and two daughters.

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. She has taken her first step towards fulfilling her aspiration by serving as a support teacher for young children as part of the newly launch group know as Swami’s Roses.  

Group 1A

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

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. Professionally, she is an engineer living in Houston with her family.

Group 1B

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. Now based in Katy, Texas, Sis. Viji has taught Bal Vikas since 2012—previously Group 3 in California, and Group 1 for the past eight 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.

Sis. Meena is blessed to have come into Swami’s fold through a close friend from Tampa, FL back in 2003. Presently, she lives in Fulshear, TX. She join as a first-time assistant teacher in 2024 and continues to teach Group 1 in 2025 as well. Sis. Meena has two kids and currently works in Product Development for an oil and gas company in Houston.

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

Group 1C

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 resides in Houston, Texas, with her husband, children, and pets. Professionally, she 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.

Sis. Priya Mohan is a Sai parent living in Richmond, TX, and has participated in the Sai community for over eleven 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 kids for the second year. Sis. Priya has an interest in working with children and teaching, and is actively involved in service activities.

Group 2A

Bro. Hari Nemmara is a longtime Sai devotee and former Balvikas student. His two children are in Educare Groups 2 and 4. He has taught Group II and IV classes in the past, and will lead Group 2 this year. Bro. Hari enjoys singing Bhajans and has organized neighborhood satsangs since 2020. He works as a Chemical Engineer and lives in Katy.

Sis. Raji Shankar embarks on her new role as an SSE tutor, embracing this blissful path with Swami’s blessings and looking forward to guiding others as she grows alongside them.

As a mother to an 11-year-old Group 2 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 who recently relocated from India and  based in Richmond, Texas, currently enjoying a career break.

Group 2B

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 eight 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 Silambam Houston.

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. Sis. Pooja joins as a Group 2 teacher this year at our Sai Center.

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

Group 3

Sis. Sridevi Devaraj resides in Sugar Land, Texas and 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. 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 at Auburn University. A lifelong learner, she is passionate about integrating technology and education to enrich classroom experiences and foster deeper understanding.

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. Vidya resides in Fulshear, Texas, with her family and serves as an Assistant Teacher at the Sai Center for Group 3.

Group 4

Bro. Gopi Balakrishnan is an experienced Sai Parent of young adults, both of whom have graduated from the Educare program. He has served as an instructor for Group 3 and Group 4 classes for fourteen 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 actively contributes to the SSSGC national Educare curriculum team, with a particular emphasis on Group IV curriculum development. He is a regular participant and volunteer in SSE teacher enrichment programs.

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. He is based in Houston, Texas.

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.