Himani Dalmia is a writer, baby and toddler sleep specialist, social worker and entrepreneur.[1] She is the co-founder of Gentle Baby Sleep India, India's first and largest peer-to-peer support group on infant and toddler sleep. She is co-author of Sleeping Like A Baby: the Art & Science of Gentle Baby Sleep, published by Penguin Random House India in 2021. Her first book, a novel titled Life is Perfect, was published by Rupa & Co. in 1999.[2] The book made bestseller lists in India. She is a Certified Baby and Toddler Sleep Specialist and a pioneer in spreading awareness about biologically normal infant sleep in India.
Dalmia is the grand-daughter of pioneering industrialist Ramkrishna Dalmia and a scion of this well-known family, based in Delhi.[3] Her parents are VN Dalmia and Nilanjana Dalmia, and she is married to Akash Premsen.[4] The family comprises several writers and academics.[5] Dalmia is also an Indian classical musician, disciple of Vidushi Malti Gilani in the style of the Patiala-Kasur Gharana.
Dalmia is also a children's book expert and her first children's book is under publication by Harper Collins India.[6]
Dalmia worked as an editor for some time before writing her first novel.[7] Life is Perfect was launched in Delhi, with Dalmia giving a panel discussion about the book.[8] The story is about how complex relationships are, touching on ideas about monogamy and polyamory. The story also focuses on modern life in Delhi, with a young woman as the protagonist.[9]
Dalmia headed one of her family businesses for many years, a premium foods company which popularized the usage of olive oil and canola oil for cooking in India.[10]
Her interest in baby sleep, children's literature and early childhood development emerged after the birth of her own children, which set her down a path of research and awareness creation for this important but neglected subject.[11]