Sanjay Tandon and Priya Tandon's short story series, which hit the 300th mark on May 10, aims to restore compassion in turbulent times

Indian Express

12-05-2025

(Written by Serena Gujral)
Sunrays, a series of short stories created by senior BJP leader Sanjay Tandon and wife Priya Tandon, was born of a simple idea: to inspire people to make better choices by offering gentle reflections on values like justice, fairness, and truth. What began in 2000 as daily 'good thought' emails sent by Sanjay to his friends, grew—on Priya's suggestion—into weekly inspirational Sunday stories in keeping with the tradition of reflective weekend reading. These evolved into a co-authored book titled Sunrays for Sunday, published in 2004. When the COVID-19 lockdown hit, and a wave of despair swept the city, the Tandons began sharing daily stories, and later took the project to YouTube for better accessibility.
Their process is deeply collaborative—Priya writes the first draft of every story, after which Sanjay steps in to edit, sharpen the message, and ensure clarity. They go through this cycle until they've built a story bank of 70–80 pieces. Sanjay then evaluates each story, scoring them out of ten; only those rated 8 or above are selected for publication. Once finalised, Priya illustrates and lays them out, while Sanjay helps link visuals to the narratives.
The moral foundation of Sunrays lies in the teachings of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. All three of their sons studied at his ashram, and his philosophy of 'practical spirituality' — where service is worship — deeply shaped both their lives. Priya, introduced to Baba's teachings at the age of eight, says they formed her worldview early on. Sanjay, on the other hand, encountered Baba's philosophy after their marriage in 1987. What began as a visit to the ashram to please Priya turned into a transformative spiritual connection. Today, both hold firm to Baba's message that 'the hands that help are holier than the ones that pray'.
Over the years, reader responses have deeply touched them. In the early days, they received heartfelt letters by the dozen and stored every one in a large file. As they began publishing books, they included some of these messages in the back pages as a way of thanking their readers. Today, WhatsApp is the main channel for such responses.
In a time of war, disinformation and spiritual confusion, the couple believes the one thing society must hold close is a connection to a higher power. This connection, they say, brings humility, strengthens inner values and filters out the noise of the world. 'It's time we reconnect with our 'innernet',' they say, 'and take a break from the constant flood of information on the internet.' Wisdom, they believe, is not found in quantity, but in the quality of awareness and reflection.
Priya draws inspiration for her writing and art from Baba's teachings. 'These experiences settle into my subconscious and flow naturally when I write,' she says. Painting, too—her cherished childhood hobby—becomes a spiritual process that evolves as she works on canvas, often guided by flashes of inspiration.
For Sanjay, who juggles responsibilities in politics, business and social service, time for Sunrays is carved out with intention. 'Only busy people have time,' he says, stressing that managing time with purpose allows more than we imagine. He believes that these stories, short and accessible, can support people in their everyday struggles and offer hope in times of darkness.
Their message to young readers is simple but resonant: 'Love all, serve all.' The youth, they believe, need grounded values more than ever, and it's up to the older generation to guide them—not just through advice, but through example. 'We must pay closer attention to our children and nurture qualities like kindness, fairness and generosity—not just in words, but in how we live.'