"I have dedicated 52 years in education here in Kenya, and 30 of them have been in Strathmore". These were the emotional words of Mr Randhir Ahluwalia at a dinner to honour his 30 years of service at Strathmore on Friday, 14 November 2008 at Haveli Restaurant at Capital Centre along Mombasa Road.

Mr Ahluwalia said that the organizers had tried to trick him into attending the dinner but had failed because as he explained his Friday evenings are set aside for family dinners.  Eventually they had had to tell him the truth…. But the family dinner tradition was incorporated and his son Jagi and Belinda his wife attended the function. Mr Ahluwalia's wife was out of the country.

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Dr Florence Oloo toasted Mr Ahluwalia's dedication and said the real building blocks of the University were its dedicated staff like him. Mr Godfrey Madigu, the Director of School of Accountancy (SOA) where Mr Ahluwalia lectures said that he had never missed a lesson in all the time he had worked at the University.

Quoting point 590 of St Josemaria Escriva's 'The Way', "Don't wish to be like the gilded weather-cock on top of a great building: however much it shines, and however high it stands, it adds nothing to the solidity of the building. Rather be like an old stone block hidden in the foundations, underground, where no one can see you: because of you the house will not fall," Mr Madigu said Mr Ahluwalia was hidden block in the building that is Strathmore.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Ahluwalia's students, Samuel Kagiri gave anecdotes of Mr Ahluwalia's diligence and strong sense of humour. Mrs Eva Beauttah spoke of his refinement and good intuition when it came to short listing students for admission and scholarship.  Dr James McFie who has worked with Mr Ahluwalia since he joined Strathmore in 1978 said that he has been a very dependable colleague in all the years they had worked together.