…left his body on 18 November 2020.

His daughter Priya writes:

My beloved Papa breathed his last peacefully in Ludhiana on 18 November at 11:30 pm, looking as beautiful as ever. For the past few months, he was not keeping well. The cancer had spread from the prostrate to the liver, bones and brain. He was in and out of hospitals, and the last eighteen days in ICU.

My dad was the one [in our family] who found Osho in 1969 – in Ludhiana, Punjab. He was so mesmerized by him that he insisted my mom, Neelam, meet him. And from there our Osho journey began. Even after giving him his sannyas name: Swami Prem Teerth, Osho fondly called him by his legal name, Amarjeet. So did his sannyasin friends.

I was only one year old when my parents took me for a meditation camp. I would often go with them to the Ashram in Pune during my school holidays. And finally to America, to Rajneeshpuram in 1982. My father returned to his business world while my mom and I stayed on with Osho. My parents remained good friends all through. He gave her the space to flower on the path she had chosen. He remained a strong pillar for us both.

While I did not have the chance to live with my father, Osho insisted that I visit him often and keep the bond with my family. He knew that the intimacy I shared with my dad was special. Because of him I could live the life I wanted to: close to Osho in his communes. I could continue my education and simultaneously be part of commune life. Because of his support I could live in both the worlds totally. He never forced Indian conditioning on me. He never imposed any ideas. He let me be the way I wanted to, not only in the outside world but also in my spiritual journey. His love was unconditional. A rare quality in a father.

I cherish our moments together. He was fond of reading mystical books, watching old meaningful Bollywood cinema. I loved discussing politics with him. His Punjabi jokes and rhymes kept us all in laughter. My cousins and friends adored my dad. He was a people magnet who kept the family together with his loving and charming nature. Not only was he a self-made successful industrialist, but at the same time he was humble and down to earth. Though he lived in the world he was a sannyasin at heart; a soft person who helped many in need, a kind soul who touched many hearts.

These last months I was with him most of the time, caring and just being there for him, fondly revisiting his best moments together. I could feel the immense physical pain he was going through. Because of strong medication many side effects followed. His legs had lost the strength. He was mostly bedridden. Short-term memory was going. I saw him slowly wither away. It was painful for me to watch him go. In the hospital – with all the machines around him – his face still looked radiant, an innocence shining through. He was cracking jokes with the nurses and visitors; he kept us all grinning.

My father was an evolved soul who will fly high. I have always felt blessed to have him as my dear Papa. Bowing down to him with immense gratitude – Love you Papa, you will be missed