Family Ancestry:
Guruswamy Ayya was born among twelve siblings: six brothers and six sisters, two twins among them, one of girls and another of boys. He was an older twin. The twin boys were at the bottom of the pile. His father was a judge who rose from a poor childhood to become the Chief Justice of Karnataka. As a child his father studied under streetlamp, because they could not afford oil for the lamp. His mother was the granddaughter of Yajaman Veerasangappa, who was owner of the historic newspaper Mysore Star devoted to the Lingayat community. He was awarded the ‘Yajaman’ title by the Maharaja for his community service. His eldest brother became the Chief Justice of Karnataka. Another brother was the Chief justice of Assam. Two other brothers were distinguished IAS officers.
Budding Civil Engineer & Service to Motherland:
Born into such a distinguished family focused on ‘ law and order’, it was indeed a challenge for the young Guruswamy to choose mathematics. That, he did and became a graduate Civil Engineer. Soon after, he went to the Ivy League Cornell University to earn a degree in Urban Planning. He practiced in the profession for six years. Responding to the call of the motherland, he returned to India. He received job offers from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi Municipal Corporation and Gujarat. He took the Maharashtra offer which included an apartment facing the sea and a jeep with a driver. Along with the new wife Sulochana, he jumped in. The challenge was to create townships, providing industrial and residential developments, all over the State, to arrest population moving into the congested metropolitan Bombay. He introduced Aerial Photography, learned at Cornell University, to revamp the entire faulty mapping system. The planning concepts he sowed have now resulted in the New Bombay development. After four years of service, local politics interfered with his objectives. He moved to the United States, along with Sulochana and the new baby girl Naina.
Professional & Community Service in USA:
Mr. Ayya ‘s professional career consisted of urban planning in the local and federal governments. The jobs required presentation of urban planning solutions at public hearing meetings. Skills in writing and public presentation were essential. He joined Toastmaster’s Club to acquire public speaking skills. During nearly fifteen years in the Club, he earned many awards. He was instrumental in founding ” Silver Spring Toastmaster’s Club “. He also took writing classes. These skills also helped him in his volunteer community work. In 1973, he founded the Friends of India organization, as the first president, at Columbus, Ohio. He was the president of Kaveri Kannada Association, in the 1980. Later he was president of India Cultural Committee, an umbrella organization of Indian community associations. He was the Regional Vice President of the National Federation of Indian Associations (NFIA), an umbrella of all Indian associations in America. He convened a national convention of NFIA in 1995. His interview was published in the Washington Post. He was also the president of National Association of Asian Americans Indian Descent (NAAAID). This organization was instrumental in creating access to federal funds for Indian immigrants. Montgomery County recognized him as a prominent community activist, by appointing him to the Human Resources Commission committee on Hate Crime. But the heart of Mr. Ayya was in the Veerashaiva Samaja of North America (VSNA).
Founding and building VSNA:
In the year 1977, Dr. Guru Bale and Mr. Ayya discussed the possibility of creating an organization to promote our faith. At that time, Mr. Ayya assured that he would draft a constitution for the purpose. Accordingly, he developed a draft of the constitution and sent it to the interested families and invited them to attend a get-together. The get-together was convened at a church in Maryland on November 25, 1978, where 71 participants from New York, Virginia, North Carolina and Alabama attended. They agreed to formulate an organization. As chair of the constitution committee, Mr. Ayya completed the final draft of the constitution. This get-together has been recognized as the first convention of Veerashaiva Samaja of North America. Since the inception of VSNA, Mr. Ayya has continuously energized the organization. He conducted the first youth camp at Canada; instituted Boot-camps; established Youth Scholarships; instrumental in establishing a VSNA retreat on 16 acres gifted by Dr. Parvatha Raj but now defunct; motivated formation of new chapters and founded New England Chapter. Established Sangama Education Trust, written innumerable articles and published several books. Book of Vachanas, 2001; Vachanas for Modern Man, 2009, 2019; Essays on Veerashaivism in America 2015 & 2017; Poetry for Self-Development 2019. Model Veershaiva Community 2015. Copies of these books are distributed free at conventions.
Retirement Phase:
After retirement at age 65, having experienced American life, he wanted to feel the pulse of the resurging India. He constructed a house at Bengaluru, 5 minutes from famous Lal Bagh. He has been spending six months in Bengaluru during the cold winters of Virginia. He established a self-wellness platform through practice of walking, yoga exercise and Ayurveda treatment. Indeed, he is walking into longevity at the age of 93 years. Please join me in praying Guru Basava and Lord Shiva for his good health and to bless him to become first centenarian of our VSNA community.
