Sandhya Chandrasekharayya

I'm not a foodie but I do have a sweet tooth. One thing I go exploring for in a new town or country are the local fruits of the place. The cherries of Kashmir, apricots of Ladakh, lychees of Dehradun or pineapples of the north east are things I can plan a trip around. 

Life Is Beautiful is my all time favorite movie. The way humour and imagination are used to show the horrors of war left a big impression on me. 

Annapurna by Maurice Herzog  is one of my favorite books on mountaineering. I like it because of its extraordinary story of adventure, exploration, leadership and how it conveys the essential spirit of climbing. A book I can very closely relate my organisation's journey and outlook to is Bruce Poon Tip's Looptail. It talks about how doing business the right way can be a win-win for everyone.

Trekking was a big hobby which has now become my work. But I still trek for pleasure. At least once a year, we form a small team of three-four people and explore an uncharted route in the Himalayas. Trekking has also led to subsidiary hobbies like running. I am no marathoner but I love my everyday morning 5-km run.

I am very much a mountain and meadows person. So all my holidays are active ones where we go exploring and hiking. I was recently on a holiday to New Zealand, which my husband and I centered around hiking destinations in South Island. My next trip would be to the high lands of Scotland and the mountain meadows of Kyrgyzstan.