Sandhya Mendonca

Sandhya Mendonca worked as a journalist {{cite web|url=http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/checking-out-election-campaigning-at-ulsoor-lake|title=Checking out election campaigning at Ulsoor Lake -|date=10 April 2014|website=Banglaore.citizenmatters.in|accessdate=14 December 2017}} for over sixteen years before co-founding a media company with her husband and veteran journalist Allen Mendonca (1960 - 2009), Raintree Media,{{cite web|url=http://wearethecity.in/female-entrepreneur-sandhya-mendonca-md-editor-in-chief-of-raintree-media/|title=Female Entrepreneur: Sandhya Mendonca – MD & Editor in Chief of Raintree Media - WeAreTheCity India - Events, Network, Advice for Women in India|date=14 November 2014|website=Wearethecity.in|accessdate=14 December 2017}} of which she is the Managing Director & Editor-in-Chief. She is also the mentor at [http://thegoodcity.in/ TheGoodCity.in], a web and mobile-based curated content platform, and the Festival Director of [https://www.undertheraintreefestival.com Under The Raintree women's cultural festival],{{Cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2017/oct/31/arts-festival-thats-all-about-women-1688650.html|title=Arts festival that's all about women|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=2018-02-13}} India's first multi-arts festival curated by women.

A native Kannadiga, Mendonca is a chronicler of the cultural history of the state of Karnataka through books published by Raintree Media such as Karnataka - A Cultural Odyssey, Raj Bhavan Bangalore - Through the Ages,{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/books/2013/nov/26/snapshots-of-a-historic-state-541827.html|title=Snapshots of a Historic State|website=Newindianexpress.com|access-date=14 December 2017}} Marvels of Karnataka & more and many others. She is the co-author of Marvels of Mysore & More, published in 2012. This book has been hailed by author Shashi Deshpande, and editor-in-chief of Outlook, Krishna Prasad. In 2015, Marvels of Karnataka & More{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2015/jan/22/marvels-of-karnataka-released-708190.html|title='Marvels of Karnataka' Released|website=Newindianexpress.com|access-date=14 December 2017}} was translated into Kannada as Karnatakada Vismayagalu (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ವಿಸ್ಮಯಗಳು).

Her book Disrupt and Conquer - How TTK Prestige Became A Billion Dollar Company{{Cite book|title=Disrupt and Conquer: How TTK Prestige Became a Billion-Dollar Company|last1=Jagannathan|first1=T. T.|last2=Mendonca|first2=Sandhya|date=2018-05-16|publisher=Penguin Portfolio|isbn=9780670090174|language=English}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.flipkart.com/disrupt-and-conquer/p/itmf3jeyndmzmgzn|title=Disrupt and Conquer - Buy Disrupt and Conquer Online at Best Prices in India - Flipkart.com|website=Flipkart.com|language=en|access-date=2018-05-17}} co-authored with Mr. TT Jaggannathan (Chairman of TTK Group), was published by Penguin Random House in 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://upgrad.com/blog/7-reasons-why-it-is-not-important-to-have-a-business-degree-to-start-a-business/|title=7 Reasons Why a Business Degree is Not Important to Run a Business|date=2018-05-16|work=UpGrad Blog|access-date=2018-05-17|language=en-US}} It featured in Amazon Editor's picks of Memorable Books of 2018, and Best of Business & Leadership of 2018.

Random House also published her earlier book on the REVA electric car Reva EV - India's Green Gift to the World (co-authored with Dr. SK Maini), in 2013.{{cite web|url=https://bangalore.explocity.com/article/sandhya-mendonca-unveils-the-story-of-reva/|title=Sandhya Mendonca unveils the story of Reva|website=Banglore.explocity.com|accessdate=14 December 2017}} Her autobiographical stories are published in the Chicken Soup for the Indian Couples' Soul & Chicken Soup for the Indian Singles' Soul series, both a part of the international Chicken Soup for the Soul series, published in India by Tata Westland in 2012.

In 2019, she edited and published the Augmented Reality embedded Innovate Bengaluru,{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/city/top-bengaluru-stories/ar-embedded-book-on-bengaluru-innovators-728575.html|title=AR-embedded book on Bengaluru innovators|date=2019-04-14|website=Deccan Herald|language=en|access-date=2019-05-23}} which features the top 100 innovators and enablers in Bengaluru's ecosystem. The book was launched in April 2019 at the Innovate Bengaluru Festival,{{Cite web|url=http://www.deccanheraldepaper.com/?pub=pp3-20190414_2&article=913889505|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219032611/http://www.deccanheraldepaper.com/?pub=pp3-20190414_2&article=913889505|url-status=usurped|archive-date=19 December 2024|title=Deccan Herald E-Paper|website=www.deccanheraldepaper.com|access-date=2019-05-23}} which brought together over 300 Icons, Inventors, Entrepreneurs, Emerging Leaders, Enablers and Investors.

She co-authored with Nafees Fazal, the latter's memoir, 'Breaking Barriers - The Story of a Liberal Muslim Woman's Passage in Indian Politics' published by Konark Publishers in 2022.{https://www.amazon.in/BREAKING-BARRIERS-Liberal-Passage-Politics/dp/8195678688

She co-authored ‘Busted - Debunking Management Myths with Logic, Experience And Curiosity’ with Ashok Soota, a pioneer of the Indian IT industry and Peter de Jager, a Canadian management consultant. It was published by HarperCollins Publishers / Harper Business in 2023. https://www.amazon.in/Busted-Ashok-Soota-ebook/dp/B0CB97C5J4

She extensively edited the autobiography of Justice Shivaraj V Patil, former Supreme Court judge, Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court and judge of the Madras and Karnataka High Courts. It was published by Sparsh Foundation in 2024. https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2024/Jan/22/justice-shivaraj-patil-releases-memoir

Mendonca hosts a podcast and talk show "Spotlight with Sandhya" that features one-to-one conversations on inspirations and journeys.

She writes a fortnightly column, Female Gaze, for The Sunday Guardian.https://sundayguardianlive.com/user/sandhyatsggmail-com

Mendonca is an amateur actor and has acted in an original play about child sexual abuse Shadows on the Wall written and directed by Vijay Nair and a comedy about golf Sliced Balls written by Poile Sengupta. She most recently acted in Robi's Garden directed by veteran director Vijay Padaki of [http://bangalorelittletheatre.org Bangalore Little Theatre].{{Cite news|url=http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/lounge/series-of-comedies/articleshow/60451987.cms|title=Series of comedies - Bangalore Mirror -|work=Bangalore Mirror|access-date=2018-02-13}} She has written lyrics to a ballad In This Moment, set to music by Sriram Aravamudan.

In 2009, Mendonca started an informal initiative in memory of her husband, Under the Raintree,{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2013/aug/01/under-the-raintree-teased-by-teen-taal-held-in-trance-by-bhairavi-502590.html|title=Under the Raintree: Teased by teen taal, held in trance by Bhairavi|website=Newindianexpress.com|access-date=14 December 2017}} that hosted play readings, artistic interactions and concerts. Starting with the dramatised reading of Anita Nair's Nine Faces of Being when it was a work in progress to concerts and talks, this initiative engages artistes with audiences in informal, intimate settings.

In 2015, Mendonca was inspired to form the [https://www.facebook.com/SheCollectiveHub/ SHE Collective Hub], giving expression to the voices of women through poetry and art for social good. In sync with artists like Shan Re and Romicon Revola, poets Poile Sengupta & Kavita Rajshekar, among others, she offered the forum of SHE Collective Hub to [http://casafoundation.in The Casa Foundation], [https://www.hutindia.org the House of Hope] and the [http://dreamindianetwork.net/ Dream India Network]. The House of Hope provides 24-hour care to over a hundred AIDS-affected orphans and their siblings. Dream India Network nurtures the most vulnerable and socially excluded children and provides them a safe haven.

In 2017, both these initiatives coalesced, and Mendonca created [https://www.undertheraintreefestival.com Under The Raintree women's cultural festival].{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/claiming-her-space/articleshow/62445226.cms|title=Claiming her space - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-01-22}} Held over three days in Ravindra Kalakshetra, Bengaluru, the festival had more than 200 participating artistes. More than 6000 people attended the festival.{{Cite news|url=http://www.indulgexpress.com/life-style/society/2017/nov/11/a-cultural-festival-by-women-for-women-will-be-hosted-in-bengaluru-4678.html|title=A cultural festival by women, for women, will be hosted in Bengaluru|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=2018-01-22}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/attend-a-festival-curated-by-women-about-women-but-open-to-all/article20451147.ece|title=Attend a festival, curated by women, about women, but open to all|last=R|first=Shilpa Sebastian|date=2017-11-15|work=The Hindu|access-date=2018-01-22|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}} The 2nd edition in Nov 2017, was registered at  the United Nations Partnerships for SDGs,{{Cite web|url=https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/partnership/?p=32793|title=Under The Raintree Women's Cultural Festival - United Nations Partnerships for SDGs platform|website=sustainabledevelopment.un.org|access-date=2019-12-09}} and provided the stage for 42 events across 7 stages, featuring the voices of over 150 Writers, Poets, Musicians, Artists and Scientists.{{Cite web|url=https://epaper.newindianexpress.com/c/44901512|title=Clipping of Express Publications - The New Indian Express-Bengaluru|website=epaper.newindianexpress.com|access-date=2019-12-09}}{{Cite web|url=https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIBG/2019/10/18&entity=Ar01909&sk=0B2D4364&mode=text#|title=Cultural festival to empower women - The Times Of India - Bangalore, 10/18/2019|website=epaper.timesgroup.com|access-date=2019-12-09}}{{Cite web|url=https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/MumbaiMirror/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=BGMIR/2019/10/23&entity=Ar02502&sk=8EFA72AB&mode=text|title=Feminism and a fest - Bangalore Mirror, 10/23/2019|website=epaper.timesgroup.com|access-date=2019-12-09}}{{Citation|title=#undertheraintree Festival 2019 After movie - women's cultural festival|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6GHKM9daPw|language=en|access-date=2019-12-09}}

Mendonca frequently speaks and moderates panels at literary, industry and corporate events such as:

• Speaker at Graduation Day 2023 of The Yenepoya Institute of Arts, Science, Commerce, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University, Mangaluru, October 2023
• Expert Talk at Garden City University, Bangalore, October 2023
• Workshop at Indus Business Academy, September and October 2023
• 4th Dr Maya Rao Kathak & Choreography Conference, May 2022
• 'Aura with Author', Dayanand Sagara College of Engineering, June 2022
• Mompower, July 2022

• The inaugural session of Dell Women Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) on: "Innovation through Collaboration"{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesswireindia.com/dell-technologies-announces-the-launch-of-dell-women-entrepreneur-network-dwen-chapter-in-india-64048.html|title=Dell Technologies Announces the Launch of Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) Chapter in India|website=www.businesswireindia.com|access-date=2019-07-10}}
• "Are we truly winning in this rat race", a panel discussion organised by GoFloaters in 2019
• "Is this the easiest time to be a woman?", a panel discussion organised by the Inner Wheel Club, Bengaluru, in 2019
• TEDx Ramaiah Medical College, speaking about "Culture as a Change Agent" in 2018{{Citation|last=TEDx Talks|title=Culture- A Change Agent {{!}} Sandhya Mendonca {{!}} TEDxRamaiahMedicalCollege|date=2018-08-20|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evyWIXk9Hi8|access-date=2019-05-23}}
• (WO)Manifesto, a discussion about women's representation in politics in 2018{{Cite news|url=http://bengaluru.citizenmatters.in/women-come-together-in-bengaluru-to-prepare-manifesto-with-gender-lens-24347|title=Women come together in Bengaluru to prepare manifesto with gender lens {{!}}|date=2018-04-30|work=Citizen Matters, Bengaluru|access-date=2018-05-17|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/opinion/sunday-read/women-for-the-win/articleshow/64045253.cms|title=Women for the win|website=Bangalore Mirror|access-date=2018-05-17}}
• The release of Lingayata Philosophy, authored by Basrur Subba Rao in 2016
• "U25 LIT Fest", organised by the Under25 Club in 2016
• "Forging Links, Leveraging Networks - An International Business Convention for Entrepreneurial Women", organised by eMERGE in 2016
• "Celebrating International Women's Day", hosted by Accenture in 2015
• The release of A Lifetime in Choreography, the autobiography of Maya Rao in 2014 {{cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/hPoqKRykCDhyxQHaXCT19N/How-Kathak-breached-the-northsouth-divide.html|title=How Kathak breached the north-south divide|last=Narayan|first=Shoba|date=26 July 2014|website=Livemint.com|accessdate=14 December 2017}}

• Sandhya Mendonca was conferred the Desha Snehi award from the India Development Foundation for qualitative journalism and humanitarian concern in November 2015.
• She received the Global Achievers Foundation award for outstanding contribution to national unity & economic growth in February 2016.
• The Institution of Engineers, Karnataka State Centre, felicitated her for yeoman service to society in March 2016.{{cite web |title=Archived copy |url=http://ieiksc.org/currentnews/Apr2016.pdf |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214183615/http://ieiksc.org/currentnews/Apr2016.pdf |archivedate=14 December 2017 |accessdate=2017-03-28 |df=dmy-all}}
• She received the Shrama Saadhana Shining Star award for achieving success through professional excellence from the ISBR, ELCIA & PRCI in May 2016.
• Garden City University honoured her as an inspirational woman on International Women's Day, 2019.
• She was conferred the 'Distinguished Leadership Award' at the 'Corporate Excellence Awards 2022'  by the University of Engineering & Management and the Institute of Engineering & Management in September 2022.
• She was presented with the title 'Global Woman Leader' at the 10th World Women Leadership Congress in February 2023.
• She's the charter president of the Rotary Bangalore Social and a past member of the Rotary Club of Bangalore, Mendonca is also a Paul Harris Fellow of the International Rotary fellowship.

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