Our grandmother, Sneh (1 Jan 1941 - 18 Dec 2021), had an extraordinary love for teaching. When asked just some months ago, she confirmed that she would have loved the chance to be an educator again, decades after her retirement. During her years at the International School of Lusaka, Sneh empowered her students with the gift of belief, never doubting that they could succeed and encouraging their wild aspirations. This attribute extended beyond the realms of a classroom; the values of working hard and chasing dreams were ones instilled by herself, and our grandfather, Jagdish, on their children and grandchildren. As a tutor to her children, nephews, and nieces, Sneh played a vital role in shaping the educations of her own family members. 

Our grandmother’s diligence made her a natural educator. Her meticulous attention to detail was reflected in her garden, a sanctuary in which she took great pride. When we visited her Washington home as young children, she would take the opportunity to teach us about every flower in her garden (for those lucky enough to have observed this display of botanical excellence, you may resonate with the challenge this presented)! We can only hope to impart her teachings on creativity, attentiveness and kindness on future generations in the same benevolent manner. We now strive to celebrate our grandmother’s life; over the years, she gifted us her crafts, which included personalised coasters, lockets and photo albums, boasting an array of wonderful memories. 

Sneh’s devotion to education was an embodiment of her character. The Doorstep School is a charity established in Mumbai, which aims to provide education to children on mobile school buses amongst marginalised communities in India. Toybank is a charity, also founded
in Mumbai, which inspires children through play. Having visited the projects in November 2018 and met children from underprivileged backgrounds, we were incredibly inspired by the nature of the charity work. While observing a lesson conducted by a middle-aged woman, draped in a colourful sari, sitting cross-legged with a beaming smile and singing nursery rhymes, we thought of our grandmother. During her teaching years, she engaged the young and developing minds of children from several different walks of life. She inspired her students, in the same way she inspired us. 

To honour the vibrant life of our grandmother, Sneh, we have set up this page to accept donations to the Doorstep School and Toybank. It would fill her with the utmost pride to know that her impact on the education of children will be perpetual.  

Anushka, Shivani, Nikhil, Esha and Jai.