Chandan Rajanna

Mr. Chandan Rajanna of Overland Park, KS, passed away at age 17 on October 21st, 2018 in a car accident on the way to a Chiefs game with his family.

Chandan was a senior at Shawnee Mission South High School at the time of his passing. He was a solid student, a good athlete, and a loyal friend. Chandan had a fierce love for animals, his family, and incomprehensible memes. For most of his short life, he had planned to be a veterinarian. Toward that end, he worked concurrently at two veterinary clinics and one animal hospital, where he was loved by coworkers and furry friends alike.

Chandan was adventurous and athletic. He enjoyed playing football, basketball, frisbee golf, regular golf, skateboarding, ping pong and tennis. Though he possessed the Rajanna competitiveness, he was never butthurt if/when he should lose. He loved going on snowboarding trips with his family, and had a natural gift for the sport. He was quite well-traveled for a young man his age having been to India several times, Grenada, and most recently a week-long trip to Iceland this past summer, by himself. During his short lifetime he eagerly snowmobiled over glaciers, hiked rain forests, rock climbed mossy cliffs, and dove from waterfalls. He danced for five consecutive hours.

Chandan embodied the cliches that are necessarily spoken about a young man who has passed away too soon with his constant smile and unquenchable joy for life. The truth is, he was defiantly happy; happy even when he had no right to be, which was unacceptably often in retrospect. He had what has to be desribed as a tumultuous childhood, having been placed in foster care for a period of time, as well as having somewhat unconventional relationships with his parents. But despite all of that, or perhaps because of it, his spirit seemed especially vibrant. He was the type of guy that you always wanted along for the ride, because he made anything you were doing that much more fun.

Chandan is survived by his parents Krishna Rajanna and Farah Ovji, his sisters Lisa and Mindy, his brothers Kris, Ravi and Neil, as well as numerous cousins, aunts, uncles, and his maternal grandparents.

Services for Chandan will take place at Johnson County Funeral Chapel & Memorial Gardens on Saturday, December 15th at 12pm. Visitation and Interment to follow. 11200 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS 66210. (913) 451-1860