Sankaran-Nair Vasudevan

Sankaran-Nair Vasudevan
Born	May 4, 1938 Vellore District, Tamil Nadu, India
Died	June 25, 2024 India
NSA member	Malaysia 1966 - 1967
ABM	Asia 1967 - 1968 1977 - ????
Counsellor	Western Asia 1968 - 1973 South Central Asia 1973

Dr. Sankaran-Nair Vasudevan (May 4, 1938 - June 25, 2024) was an Indian-Malaysian Bahá’í who served as a Continental Counselor for Asia.

Background

Vasudevan's parents, Attasseri Sankaran Nair and Madam Cerukad Meenakshi Amma, were from South India but migrated to what is now Malaysia. He was born in the Vellore District of Tamil Nadu as his mother visited her brother there while pregnant but returned to Malaysia where Vasudevan was raised in the Diamond Jubilee Estate in Jasin. He attended Tamil Elementary School until fifth grade then moved to live with relatives in Kuala Lumpur where he completed his secondary education at Kishan Dial Private Secondary School then began teaching some classes at the school.

Vasudevan completed his School Certificate Examinations in 1957 and began teaching at the Methodist English School in Telok Datok, Banting. He moved to England in 1958 to complete training at Brinsford Lodge to become a secondary teacher and returned to Malaysia in late 1959, securing a job at a High School in January 1960. After returning to Malaysia he was also introduced to the Bahá’í Faith by fellow teacher S. Bhaskaran and while he was initially highly skeptical of the religion he attended firesides at which he asked many questions. He declared on August 9, 1960, during a visit Hand of the Cause Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir made to Malaysia and his family declared shortly after him.

In 1961 the Translation Committee of Malaysia was formed and Vasudevan worked for the Committee translating Bahá’í literature into Tamil, and he was also appointed to the Youth Committee and elected to the inaugural Local Spiritual Assembly of Malacca. In 1963 he was appointed to the National Bahá’í Youth Council of Malaya as Chairman, and in 1965 he was appointed to the National Teaching Committee as its secretary.

In 1966 Vasudevan was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of Malaysia, and he was also elected as secretary of the body. He also began teaching weekend courses on the Faith at the first Bahá’í Institute in Malaysia in 1966. In 1967 he pioneered to Sri Lanka at the suggestion of Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir, and Muhájir appointed him as an Auxiliary Board member assigned to Sri Lanka.

In 1968 the Universal House of Justice established the Continental Boards of Counselors and Vasudevan was appointed as an inaugural Counselor for Western Asia, and in 1970 he married Sitara Boman, daughter of Shirin Boman, in Gwalior city. In 1972 he made a tour of Africa at the request of Dr. Muhájir to support teaching work spending time in Kenya, Uganda, Swaziland, and Tanzania.

In 1973 the Universal House of Justice established the Continental Board for South Central Asia and appointed him to the new jurisdiction, however later in the year he moved to the United States to pursue a doctorate in education at the University of Massachusetts stepping down as Counsellor due to moving outside of his Boards jurisdiction. He was an active member of the United States Bahá’í community after arriving speaking at the Green Acre Summer School and speaking an an institute organized by the International Goals Committee to encourage pioneers to India. In 1977 he moved to Bangkok, Thailand, for eight months where he continued pursuing his doctorate and upon completing it he moved back to India where he was appointed as an Auxiliary Board member and assisted with ambitious and successful teaching campaigns.

Vasudevan became Vice-Principal at the Bahá’í inspired New Era High School in 1982, and by 1989 he had become Principal of the school serving in the role until retiring in 1998. Upon retiring he pioneered to the Seychelles living in the islands and participating in Bahá’í activities until 2000 when he returned to India. In 2003 he became Principal of RiverDale International School serving until 2007.

In later life Vasudevan continued to remain an active Bahá’í serving on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Pune until 2019 when he retired due to his health and just before his passing he was making plans to pioneer within India to Tamil Nadu. He passed away in 2024 due to heart complications and the Universal House of Justice, International Teaching Center, and the National Spiritual Assemblies of Malaysia and India sent messages commemorating his life. A memorial service was also held at the New Delhi House of Worship at the direction of the Universal House of Justice and the New Era High School closed for half a day to commemorate his service.