Beloved Randhir Ahluwalia celebrates 52 years of teaching in Kenya–and 30 years at Strathmore
December 9th, 2008
Randhir Ahluwalia (left), with his daughter-in-law Belinda and son Jagi at the celebration dinner
because as he explained his Friday evenings are set aside for family dinners. Eventually they had had to tell him the truth. But the family dinner tradition was incorporated, and his son Jagi and daughter-in-law Belinda attended the function. Mr Ahluwalia’s wife was out of the country.
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Dr. Florence Oloo toasted Mr Ahluwalia’s dedication and said the building blocks of the University were its dedicated staff members like him. Mr. Godfrey Madigu, the Director of School of Accountancy (SOA) where Mr. Ahluwalia lectures said that he had never missed a lesson in all the time he had worked at the University.
Hailing the importance of Mr. Ahluvalia’s contributions to Strathmore over the years, Mr. Madigu cited a passage from St. Josemaria Escriva’s “The Way”: “Don’t wish to be like the gilded weather-cock on top of a great building. However much it shines, and however high it stands, it adds nothing to the solidity of the building. Be rather like a stone block hidden in the foundations, underground, where no one can see you. Because of you the house will not fall.” Mr. Ahluwalia was such a foundation stone, Mr. Madigu noted, in the building that is Strathmore.
Speaking on behalf of Mr. Ahluwalia’s students, Samuel Kagiri cited anecdotes of Mr. Ahluwalia’s diligence and strong sense of humour. Colleague Eva Beauttah spoke of his refinement and good intuition when it came to short-listing students for admission and scholarship. Dr. James McFie, who has worked along side Mr. Ahluwalia since he joined Strathmore in 1978, said that he has been a most dependable colleague in all the years they had worked together.