Sandhya was born June 24th 1993 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. When she was five, she moved with her parents to Memphis Tennessee, and then went on to study cognitive science at Indiana University, before moving out Seattle to work in social work, and writing.
It’s difficult to try to capture something as dynamic and intricate as a human life in a few short words, it’s one of those things where you really had to be there. Sandhya had a deep passion for life, endlessly curious about everything she came across from science, to language, to other humans she met. From almost the moment she could walk she started dancing, a love that found expression in many ways, including training in dance movement therapy, which helped numerous people.
One of the best, albeit at times inconvenient, attributes of Sandhya is how she cared deeply about everyone in her life, even if she barely knew them. She could never turn away when someone needed help.
On June 3rd 2023 Sandhya was in a kayaking accident with her husband Jonathan on the Klickitat river in southern Washington, and passed away as a result of the accident.
In memory of Sandhya we have setup a fundraiser to plant trees in the Cauvery river basin in India. This campaign is an initiative of Isha foundation which Sandhya volunteered for regularly and was passionate about their ecological projects.
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow;
I am the diamond glints on the snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain;
I am the gentle autumn’s rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there; I did not die.