On the 12th of January, under the pleasant warmth of the shining sun, Sabeer Bhatia, the young entrepreneur of Silicon Valley, who at a very young age created the world’s first free e-mail service – HotMail, alongwith a team of Professors and Alumni from University of California, Berkeley dropped in to Baru Sahib for a private visit. The guests were accorded a stately welcome with horse-riders accompanying them from the campus entrance to the welcome porch. Thereafter, the local Himachalis traditionally welcomed them with a skillful dance accompaniment to the camp-site area. The guests, especially the TIME magazine reporter, Laura A. Locke, were charmed by the personal and touching experience accorded to them. A special continental lunch awaited the guests to make them feel at home.

Next, Sabeer accompanied by the guests, was taken on a campus tour of the Hospital, Academy, Orphanage, Gurmat Classes, Sangeet Classes and Akal Rozgar Yojana. It was a moment of reminiscence for Sabeer when he was shown a presentation made on his own life and his phases of growth, by the students in the computer lab.

They were in awe of the inspiring philanthropic jobs undertaken by the organization. They could not help remark the great odds against which the benefactors and the beneficiaries were working against in this remote area. The guests found time to mingle around with the students of Gurmat Vidyalaya and go through the beautiful collection of designer ladies suits produced by the rural womenfolk under the name of Akal Rozgar Yojana. Time stopped for them when they entered the majestic Darbar Sahib for Rehraas with the children. They could feel the positive charge of bliss pervading in the atmosphere in the Gurdwara Sahib.

Radiant with serenity, they trooped out to the Darbar Sahib porch for a show that stopped them in their tracks. The young ones in full splendour displayed them their martial arts skills – Gatka. The blindfolded act of slicing coconuts on the heads, chest and neck of kids with a sharp edged sword left them speechless. Few of them remarked that it was a ‘never before’ experience for them. They were all occupied with their ‘shutters and flashes’ trying to capture the priceless moments against the backdrop of the setting sun.

Thereafter, it was time for the children to meet their guests “face to face” at the auditorium. Dr. Devinder Singh, Principal, Akal Academy, Baru Sahib in a short crisp speech introduced the guests to the mission of Baru Sahib. Students Hargun Kaur, Sarabjit Kaur, Kabir Nanda and Rajdeep Kaur shared their own personal experience of the transformation that they underwent at Baru Sahib. The guests were then shown a documentary on the various activities of the Kalgidhar Society. Head Boy Tejprakash Singh introduced Sabeer Bhatia to the audience with his life sketch and the adversities against which he climbed the ladders of success. Then was the decisive moment of the students barraging Sabeer with questions about his career, education and success. Sabeer enlightened the students about the need of getting practically educated rather than mere theoretical education.

The guests also enjoyed the celebrations of 'Lohri' at night, in which students of Akal Academy dramatized the events which actually take place in rural India. Encircling the bonefire, guests ejnoyed every moment of the occasion, which was agog with 'Sunder Mundareye'.