Gangadhar Vishnu Kshirsagar who hailed from Nevasa belonged to Deshastha Brahmin Community. He worked as a Telegraph Head Signaller in the Irrigation Department at Sonawadi near Kopergaon.

He lost his father when was just 5 years old. The family had some acres of land. Another Sai Mahabhakta Balaji Patil Newasakar "Jayagudi" was their lessee. Once all of a sudden, he claimed their land as his own. Gangadhar's Maternal Uncle was his acting as the Guardian to his family. Balaji Patil Newasakar asked us to come with him to Sai Baba of Shirdi for the settlement of land dispute. Hence, Gangadhar's Maternal Uncle, mother went along with Balaji Patil Newasakar to Shirdi. Gangadhar's Uncle and his mother had never visited Baba before and were total strangers to Him. As soon as they came to Dwarakamai Masjid, even before they could bow down and offer their pranams to Baba, He told Balaji Patil Newasakar to handover the lands to Gangadhar's family and not to trouble them any more. Thus all of them went back to Newasa. But Bala refused to part with the piece of land and the family was forced to take possession of the land through the Court. After this incident, Balaji Patil Newaskar became insane. It was in the year 1901 and at that time Gangadhar Vishnu Kshirsagar was just 16 years old. After this incident took place, Balaji went away somewhere and did not return to Shirdi at all. Gangadhar Vishnu Kshirsagar had never seen Sai Baba when He was in His flesh and blood. However, his Mother and Maternal Uncle occasionally visited Shirdi and had Baba's darshan.

In the year 1934, Gangadhar Vishnu Kshirsagar was transferred to Sonawadi, near Kopergaon. Since that time, Gangadhar started visiting Shirdi regularly. He used to sing Bhajans in front of Sai Baba in Samadhi Mandir, whenever he visited Shirdi. Once on 27th June 1935, Gangadhar had a dream vision. In the dream, he saw Sai Baba standing before him saying: "Today your house is decreed to you. Why are you sleeping? There is Jatra in Shirdi. Come and Eat". Telling like this Baba took him to the Dining Hall and Gangadhar partook food and offered pranams to Baba. At this the Dream had ended and Gangadhar got up from sleep. Four days later, Gangadhar got a letter from his brother that on 27th June 1935, the case about the their house that was going on in Ahmednagar District Court was decided in their favour. This incident increased Gangadhar's faith in Sai Baba to a great extent and since that time he became an ardent devotee of Sai Baba.

(Source: Devotees' Experiences of Sai Baba by Parama Poojya Late Shri.Narasimha Swamiji)