The Legacy of a Lightless Life: Remembering Dr. Hema Sane

Dr. Hema Sane, a renowned botanist and retired professor from Pune, lived without electricity and dedicated her life to teaching and writing over 30 books. She passed away at 85, living an unconventional life in harmony with nature and advocating for simple, sustainable living.

Renowned botanist and retired professor Dr. Hema Sane, known for her unique lifestyle choices and contributions to botany, passed away on Friday due to age-related ailments, according to family sources. She was 85.

Born in 1940, Dr. Sane taught at Abasaheb Garware College before retiring. Over her career, she published more than 30 books, contributing significantly to the field of botany. Despite residing in bustling Pune, she consciously decided to live without electricity, embracing a frugal lifestyle without modern appliances.

Her home, shared with animals and birds, reflected her philosophy of living lightly. Environmentalist Sushma Date likened her to Socrates, valuing simplicity and sustainability over material wealth. Even in her 80s, she was dedicated to writing and was last known to work on a book about Indian flora from the Ashoka era.

(With inputs from agencies.)