Sai Mahabhakta Shankar Balwant Kohojkar belonged to Kayasth Prabhu Caste and worked as a Clerk in Mumbai Collector's Office. He was a resident of Thana, Maharashtra.

Shankar Balwant Kohojkar's father Late Shri.Balwant C.Kohojkar was a retired Mamaltedar. He visited Sai Baba in the year 1911. Baba gave him an affectionate parental welcome and patted him on the back. Baba told him "Will you live in the Mutt?" that is at Shirdi. Balwant Kohojkar lived there for about 7 days. When the time of leaving Shirdi arrived, Baba told him "Go anywhere. Baba is after you". Subsequently, till his death in the year 1936, whenever any mishap used to befall Balwant, he was helped by Baba. Balwant went only once in his lifetime to Shirdi and that was in the year 1911.

Balwant stayed in Shirdi during Datta Jayanthi in the year 1911. Around 5 p.m. on that day Baba was seated in the Mosque with devotees around Him. All of a sudden, He said "I am having the pangs of labour. I cannot bear it. I am about to be delivered". Evidently, Saibaba was identifying Himself with Anasuya, the mother of Lord Dattatreya who at that time had her pains of labour and was undergoing sympathetic pain.

Shortly after the above incident, at Sunset, Baba suddenly drove out all people from the mosque and again after a little while He called all people to come near Him. That time He was in great joy. It was because, that was the time of Birth of Lord Dattatreya. All people went inside and among them Balwant directly entered the mosque. Balwant was able to see a small child on Baba's seat. He could clearly see three faced image of Lord Dattatreya as an infant. This vision Balawant could see only for a fraction of a second. Then, instead of Datta's image, he could see Sai Baba in His usual dress and form at the same place where he had seen the vision. Balwant immediately realized that Baba was none other than Lord Datta Himself.

After taking Udi from Sai Baba, Balwant had done through the lanes and houses that block the view between the main road and the mosque. On the main road, Balwant had a strong feeling that that would be his last view of Baba and hence he desired to see Baba once more. The moment that thought passed his mind, he looked at the Lendi side and there he could see Sai Baba peeping through the hedge. Baba was very much in the Mosque when he left the place and he was about 100 to 150 yards away from the mosque. But when he entertained the desire to see Saibaba, His face appeared before him! Baba told him "You are going. Well, go". Shankar Balwant Kohojkar did not accompany his father during his father's only visit to Shirdi.

Shankar Balwant Kohojkar had kept a small photograph of Saibaba in his pocket. Since that time, he progressed well in his studies and in life. During later years, He gave away that photograph to his sister. Shankar was an ardent devotee of Saibaba and regularly worshipped Him.

In the year 1930, Shankar met with a serious accident that threatened to cut his life short at once. He was suffering from Dysentry. He mistook a bottle of Phenyl in a semi conscious condition for water and swallowed most of the contents of the bottle. This result in Shankar passing into a deranged sate for almost 4 days, he was unconscious. The doctor Dr.Chipkar who attended on him feared that it might prove fatal. But, he miraculously recovered after 4 days. When he was on the verge of regaining consciousness, Shankar had a dream vision. Shankar could see the figure of a young athletic Muslim who was bareheaded beating all round on the wall and the floor of his sick room with His Staff. At once, Shankar conlcuded that it was his patron Saint Shri Saibaba that had come and saved His life.

In the year 1934, Shankar felt a strong impulse that he should at once proceed to Shirdi and have darshan of Sai Baba's Samadhi and Dwarakamai Masjid. When he went to Dwarakamai, he felt thrilled by a current passing through his Body at the sight of Sai Baba's portrait. At first, he could not keep looking at that portrait. As he kept looking at the photograph, he was full of the feeling that "God is present in that place".

(Source: Devotees' Experiences of Sri Sai Baba, Volume I, II and III by Poojya B.V.Narasimha Swamiji)