1968-'75 Born in Vijayawada, India, to Radha and Murali Sundaram on Nov. 1st, 1968, Gautam was named for the "Enlightened One". He was schooled in England from 1970 and emigrated to America in 1975 with his parents and younger sisters, Aparna and Priya.

1975-'86 After primary school in Oakhill, St. Louis, Gautam joined John Burroughs School. As he developed in those formative years he formed life long friendships - intense , close, fun loving and deep with Russell Brightman, Andrew Coburn, Ted Hoagland, Michael Millner and John Oldham to name a few. He explored life and people by talking, participating and by direct involvement in examining cultural mores, social differences, personal choices but always as a trusted friend and comforter of the disaffected and isolated. His interests in people and matters lay well beyond the mainstream.

1986-'90 As a student at Vassar College from where he graduated with honors in an Independent Major entitled Religious, Philosophical and Historical Studies in Resistance,Gautam developed and refined travel to the far reaches of the world- no place or peoples seemed too remote. He lived with the Zamburu & Masai tribes in Kenya, trekked through Central Africa, lived in India always touching people from quite different walks of life-- the depth of which we have greatly come to appreciate these past few days. A great and close friendship with Peter Hamady, Josh Sherman and Peter Kai Nielsen developed. Peter Kai Nielsen alas, like Gautam left us too early.

The 90's Gautam lived and worked in San Francisco. Those who visited him were taught to embrace the city on his motor bike. Some highlights of this decade were working for 'World without War', a CORO Fellowship and a Masters from the School of Journalism, Columbia University, NY. He won hearts, minds, friends and the award for the best documentary with Lauren Thompson. He got another Masters in International Policy from Columbia University and settled in L.A. for two years where he wrote a book, "Nobody in Love", and screenplays. He mastered a form of Hatha Yoga and was given to increasingly examining life, love, conventions and non-conventions.

'00 Gautam was travelling through Europe looking for a place to settle and work on screenplays, film and photography when his physical and mystical journey ended in Rome, Italy on Oct 16,'01.