In 1981 I met Giris for the first time: During a Yoga Demonstration for World Peace in Munich he stood on his head for one hour.

In 1983 Giris helped with the flight over the Berlin Wall, afterwards he organized the Yoga Doubledecker Bus Tour through India. He drove the bus full of Yogis from London to India. I met him in Munich when he was traveling through. I could ask him a few questions on Pranayama - something I was very interested in...

At the time Giris loved to challenge others by habitually taking the opposite side of what one had as opinion. At least, that's what I experienced. The conversations with him were challenging, thought provoking - and often humorous, especially after I found out that I just had to change sides to get Giris to argue for the opposite...

Quite a few times Giris helped me on my Yoga path.

I am sorry that I was not more helpful to him and his family, when he left the Sivananda Yoga Centers. I feel, I failed during that time.

In 1992, I met Giris during my visit in Sivananda Ashram Rishikesh. I had left Swami Vishnu's organisation a few months earlier. Giris was there, opened his big arms and embrased me wholeheartedly. He helped me and my friend during my travels in India when we had health problems and problems with our return flight. He encouraged me to open a Yoga Center in Frankfurt - which led to the Yoga Vidya Centers and Ashrams.

1992-1996 Giris visited the Yoga Vidya Center Frankfurt on numerous occasion, giving Yoga Classes, Pranayama Workshops, Meditation instructions and lectures.

Since then I saw Giris only a few times. But we kept contact, via phone, Email and WhatsApp - and via his wife Narayani who regularily gave seminars at Yoga Vidya and send her wonderful paintings. In 2019 Giris was very helpful with some legal problems, offering advise and helping us to get good professional advice. End of 2019/2020 we had deep exchange via telephone about our common Teacher.

Just a day before his passing away we exchanged Diwali greetings.

Since the beginning of the 1980s I had a special connection to Giris. I always felt close to him. Even when not seeing him physically for  long time, I always felt close to him and knew he was a friend I could always turn to for help.

May you be well, Giris, in the Higher Planes. You are one of these exceptional beings one can never forget and who do so much good in the world in unsual ways.