Henna for Humanity focuses on raising money to help groups who don’t have proper access to healthcare and basic needs during the coronavirus pandemic. Many people in India personally know people who have experienced loss and hardship due to the pandemic. So, they wanted to help families in India who are struggling to make ends meet by fundraising money through Henna art.

Meet the students behind this initiative:

Niyathi Srinivasan: Founder, Accounting Manager, & Head Henna Artist

Hi! I’m Niyathi Srinivasan, a sophomore at Lexington High School (LHS) and the founder of Henna for Humanity. I’m passionate about the arts and wanted to find a way to stay connected with others; something I believe is sorely needed in a pandemic era. Aside from working on improving and improvising Henna designs, I am a student of Indian classical music. I have been taking Carnatic (south Indian classical music) vocal and instrumental (veena) lessons from Dr. Revathi Ramaswamy since I was 6 years old. I’m also passionate about swimming and am a part of the LHS swim team. 

I first learned about Henna around 2 years ago and realized that it is a common practice to decorate a bride’s hands in intricate patterns in Hindu tradition. I felt that there could be so many more ways Henna could be used on a daily basis, as a temporary tattoo. I work closely with my friends, Saadhana and Vinaya Vijay, to keep this art form alive, accessible, and affordable to everyone.

Saadhana Vijay; Website and Communications Manager 

I am an 8th grader at Clarke Middle School. My sister and I have been friends with Niyathi since we moved to Lexington 6 years ago and we spend a lot of time together; our houses are 5 minutes apart. Over the past 2 years, we spent more time together due to the COVID-19 pandemic and remote schooling. 

During our time together we explored a variety of crafts and some time last year, Niyathi introduced us to Henna art. When she said she was going to start an initiative and needed help, I was really excited to become part of Henna For Humanity.

I support Henna for Humanity by planning logistics for the events, keeping the website up-to-date, and managing the testimonials for the website. I really enjoy supporting Niyathi and this amazing initiative.

Vinaya Vijay; Main Henna Artist 

I am a 5th grader at Harrington School. Like my sister, I have been friends with Niyathi for a while. I love art and have recently tried watercolor, fabric, and oil painting. I was immediately interested in Henna when I saw Niyathi drawing patterns, and I wanted to try it out on my own. I soon realized that doing henna was harder than it looked when Niyathi did it. With a lot of practice, I have come a long way and will continue to learn more by watching Niyathi and making designs by myself.  In addition to doing henna, I am also a student of Indian classical music and dance (like my sister and Niyathi).

My parents are really supportive of this and I am always on the lookout for new designs to try out.

Advika Tuniki; Henna Artist & Marketing and Promotion Manager

Hi! I’m Advika Tuniki, a sophomore at Lexington High School. and a budding henna artist. Born in India, I am also a student of Indian classical music and have been taking vocal Carnatic singing lessons for many years. After coming to the US at a very young age, I became introduced to fine arts and I am continuing to look for new expressions for my art. Currently, I am a certified watercolor and graphite artist and practice on a daily basis. I always find ways to connect to my cultural roots, whether it's through art, singing, dance, photography, or henna. 

I’ve always been fascinated by henna art, and just recently I joined Henna for Humanity as a henna artist. I also deeply connect with our message about empowerment for women and providing education for those who don’t have access to it. I was very thrilled when Niyathi asked me to join Henna for Humanity and I am looking forward to working with her and the others to share our henna art with the world.