Chandraswami in his heydays had influence over the likes of Margaret Thatcher, Former Indian Primer Minister PV Narsimha Rao, the Sultan of Brunei etc. But, then came his fall from grace and his final years were spent in obscurity.
As recounted by Mr Singh in his 2012 memoir, Chandraswami, who at the time spoke no English and relied on the diplomat to translate, asked Thatcher to scribble five questions on five separate pieces of paper, then scrunch each into a ball. She grudgingly complied. He then asked her to unfold each chit. As she did, the guru told her the question written there. Her irritation gave way to amazement, and Thatcher peppered him with follow-up questions. She asked for a second meeting, at which, Mr Singh wrote, the two discussed her prime ministerial prospects.
Needull in a haystack 