Sanjay Jhawar

Sanjay Jhawar, 55 of Menlo Park, California, passed away in San Jose, California on 8th August 2023. He is predeceased by his father Pannalal and survived by his wife Madeline, children Maya and Manu, mother Krishna and sister Nisha.

Sanjay was born in England in 1968 to Pannalal and Krishna with little sister Nisha arriving 5 years later. A peaceful childhood followed, during which Sanjay excelled at school in Norton and in Yarm. With relatives based in different parts of the world, the family travelled abroad to India, the US and to continental Europe for vacations. From a young age, Sanjay showed interest in both photography and listening to music, and so began two lifelong hobbies.

With a curious, analytical, and scientific mind, Sanjay attended Churchill College, Cambridge University to study Electronics Engineering. Upon his graduation with honors in 1990, he began working in the United Kingdom for IBM, first in Southampton and then in Glasgow before moving to Motorola to start a career focused on mobile telecoms and networks. In each location he lived and worked, Sanjay made many lasting friendships. His career eventually led him to Stockholm, Sweden where he met a very special Canadian-American named Madeline in the pub.

Sanjay followed Madeline to Milan, Italy and became involved in venture capital and entrepreneurship in the then fledgling area of wireless internet. Thanks in part to the time he spent living in Scotland and Italy, he became a connoisseur of Scottish single malt whisky, and fine wines, in particular Barolo, and enjoyed sharing both with friends and family.

Sanjay and Madeline married in a colorful wedding in Cambridge in 2002 and began a new adventure together in the US, first in a different Cambridge in Massachusetts, then in Chicago, Illinois, where their children Maya and Manu were born. Sanjay was travelling a fair amount for work during this time and loved the moments when he returned home after a trip to see his family again and spend time with them. A strong desire to not be away so often, and to find a great neighborhood and schools for Maya and Manu to settle, were key reasons for a move in 2011 to Menlo Park, California. During this time, Sanjay became a keen cyclist and enjoyed spending time riding along the northern Californian coastline.

In 2016, Sanjay co-founded RealWear, which is now a leading provider of assisted reality, hands-free, head-mounted wearables for use in industrial and other contexts. His passion for Realwear knew no bounds, and he played many roles there, shaping the company's culture and ethos until his forced retirement for health reasons.

Indeed, in January 2021, Sanjay was diagnosed out-of-the-blue with inoperable glioblastoma, a type of incurable brain tumor, and was given just 18-24 months to live. He felt fortunate to have access to some of the best medical care in the world right on his doorstep. After the initial shock, Sanjay approached this new challenge with his usual analysis, determination and fighting spirit. Aside from undergoing standard treatments and participating in clinical trials, he also took his fitness and diet in hand with great discipline, following evidence that special consideration of both could contribute to longer survival against his disease. In typical Sanjay-fashion, he did not waver right up until the very end, which came well beyond the timeframe he had been given.

Knowing that his time was limited, the family made some memorable trips together - to South Africa, Mexico, Alaska, Australia and New Zealand, with Sanjay making additional trips to the UK and to Switzerland. He prioritized meeting up with extended family members and friends in person whenever possible. This, combined with a truly amazing set of local friends and neighbors, eased Sanjay's mind, in particular during his last months.

Sanjay was many things to many people: son, brother, husband, father, friend, colleague and mentor and has been called a warrior, a hero, a genius, a legend, a visionary, a role model, an inspiration and a rare human being. He was all these things and more; he and his legacy will surely never be forgotten.

The family invites anyone who wishes to plant or contribute to planting a tree in Sanjay's memory. A celebration of Sanjay's life will be organized in the springtime.