Tributes to Mr. Alfred Bhaskar
(By Mr. Syam Pilli, Former President of UECF )

I have known Uncle Alfred Bhaskar for the last 8 years. He was my guide and great source of inspiration. He supported me whole heartedly while I was in New Jersey and continued his support even after we moved to Virginia. He was a man of principles. He called a spade a spade. He demanded the best and strived to be the first. We have heard many stories about him before, how he thrived to be first and best, whether it was in studies or in singing competitions or at work.

I would like to share some such instances where he stood first.

First President of UECF:
As you know, he was the first president of UECF. With a passion for Christ and a vision for our community, he did his best for the growth of this fellowship. Today, UECF has grown this far just following his foot steps. 

First funeral in UECF:
As you know Uncle Bhaskar was the architect of the UECF Constitution. I often referred the Constitution to ensure that UECF was going in a right direction as per the goals and objectives laid out in the Constitution. As I was checking and marking various items that were fulfilled,  I stopped at item No. 5 in the Constitution, which states “Conduct other services on special occasions such as religious festivals, marriages, birthdays, baptisms, anniversaries and funerals”. At that time I did not know that ‘his’ would be the first funeral service in UECF. 

First to be with the Lord:
As some of you have already read, he wrote an article for the UECF 10th Anniversary Souvenir. He said he wrote this article within 30 minutes.  In his article titled “We are in the final innings of the game “, he posed a couple of questions - “ Are you getting ready to face your creator? What are your plans? “After challenging us with those questions, he was the first one to be with the Lord. 

Aunty drove him to the Hospital for dialysis:
When I was consoling Shanthi aunty, she was crying and said – “all these years, I never drove him for dialysis”. Last Monday was the first time he was driven by her for the dialysis. Incidentally, this was the last time in the life time. 

First Christian Family Conference in Virginia:
Last  September, we had a Christian Family Conference in Virginia. I informed him that we were having a Christian Family Conference for the first time in Virginia. He readily accepted my invitation and traveled all the way to Virginia by pre-scheduling his dialysis, only to give me the moral support. In spite of his impediment, he sang at that conference and glorified God.  

A story to share:
Last Monday, my little daughter asked me to tell a bed time story. I started… Once upon a time, there was a lion. He calls rabbits, giraffes and all the other animals for singing. He gets angry, if someone is not singing properly.  He asks them to sing again and again till they do it right. And the story went on … at last the lion died. 

“He went to heaven?” my little daughter asked. 

“Yes mamma” 

“He is singing in heaven?” she asked again. 

“I think so” 

“So… all of them have to sing all by themselves now?” another question. 

Yes… Though he is not with us physically, the vision he set for the UECF and the path he showed us will help continuing the singing. We all sing a well known Telugu song Paadeda Halleluya, maranaanthamu Halleluya. But he proved it. He sang till his last day. It was a privilege for me singing, standing next to him at UECF 10^th year celebrations. 

I remember, when my mother-in-law passed away in December 2000, we were comforted by the UECF families. At that time Uncle Bhaskar said this to me – Any American Church would have simply sent a bouquet of flowers and sympathies during this time, but here is UECF which really cares for the families and makes a difference.  

Uncle Bhaskar loved this fellowship so much, but there was a time when he asked me “Am I considered a member of this Fellowship?”  

At that time, I said to him “As a founding President, you are a lifetime member of UECF”. 

Today, I say … Even after his death, he remains in our hearts and in the history of UECF for ever. 

I would like to conclude, his name “Bhaskar’ means sun in Telugu. This sun is set now, but the light rays reflected from him will continue to shine in UECF.

Alfred Damarapu Bhaskar
D.A. Bhaskar/Israel
April 11, 1934 – October 29, 2007 

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” – 2 Tim 4:7 

Mr. Alfred Bhaskar son of Late Mr. D. Naraiah and Late Mrs. Kanthamma also known as D.A. Bhaskar, Israel, went to be with the Lord on Monday October 29, 2007.  

He was born and raised in Madras (Chennai, India). He completed his formal education at Kellet High School, Madras; did his BE (1955) in Telecommunication Engineering, Guindy, Madras; ME (1981), Microwave/Wireless Engineering, Osmania University, Hyderabad; and MS (1984), Computer Engineering, Boston University, USA, 1984.  

He started his career at Andhra Electricity Board (Madras, 1955), and moved on to Overseas Communications Service (Bombay, 1956-1961).  He was married to Shanthi in 1961 in Madras and worked in several places in India as his job led him – at Neyveli Lignite Corporation (Neyveli, 1961-1962), and Indian Railways (1962-1983). He took voluntary retirement as a Chief Signal Telecommunication Engineer in the South Central Railway at Secunderabad and moved with his family to Boston, USA in 1983 where he got his MS degree from Boston University. He worked at Computer Vision in Boston for a year.  He then moved to AT&T in Lincroft, New Jersey in 1985 where he worked for 16 years as Member of Technical Staff at AT&T, Lucent, and Avaya Corp. During his tenure he received many outstanding achievement awards for his expertise in the field of wireless and digital communications.   

He took an active part in the Indian Christian Ministry and was closely associated with the Asian Indian Christian Church almost from its inception until 1996.  He was one of the original founders of the United Evangelical Christian Fellowship Church based in Edison and was actively involved in its ministry from 1997 until the day he died.  He was fond of singing and used his musical talent extensively to support Christian ministry especially in his native Telugu language. He liked composing gospel songs in Telugu. He was closely associated with the Telugu Christian Fellowship of New Jersey and the United Telugu Christian Fellowship in New York. He was a very loving family man and a devout Christian who instilled Biblical values in his children and grandson.  

He had great leadership qualities and touched many people with his love, kindness, generosity, humor, and singing talent. He was a father figure to many and was loved and respected by his family, relatives, and friends. He leaves behind his beloved wife Shanthi, sons Samuel, Ravinder and his wife Vatsala and grandson Joseph, Ajay and his wife Suneela, and Sanjay and his wife Madhuri. He is also survived by a brother, Karunakar in Chennai, a sister Parimala in Coimbatore, India, beloved nephew Suresh, and other nephews, friends, and well-wishers in India and in the US. He will be missed very much by all of us who love and cherish his memory as a loving husband, dear father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, and mentor. 

“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” – Psalm 116:15

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