My wife Amanda and I want to express our sincere condolences to Rachana and her family on the loss of Sam.  By all accounts he was a simply wonderful husband and father.  Sam and I interacted through shared work at AMSSM, and I was privileged to nominate him for service on their board of directors -- recognition that came far too late, given his contributions and qualifications.  As I read through the condolences here that have already been expressed, I am struck by the common thread that runs through them -- that Sam was eminently decent, caring, quietly effective and kind.  All of that is true.  And I will always remember that Sam extended particular kindness to me personally at a very difficult point in my own time in leadership at AMSSM.  Sam could be counted on for an apt word or idea at just the right time, delivered in a way that was balanced, appropriate and often, funny.  I will miss him.  He is not replaceable.  But I am so, so very glad to have known him.  

Dear Shiv and Siya,

In a world full of plastic, your Dad was one of the realest people I've ever met.

He's everything I am not: patient, a quiet leader, reflective in the moment, softly purposeful. His words carried meaning, because he typically used them only when needed.

I would guess that the feeling was not mutual, but I always tried to sit next to him at meetings. We didn't agree on everything, we had different perspectives, but that's exactly why I wanted to be near him. I knew he would teach me something. His calmness always modeling to me. I learned a lot from what he did not say. Your Dad changed me.

Not that any of his quiet focus reflected how much he cared. He did a lot in our world of sports medicine. I can only imagine the impact he had on his patients and his athletes. He was kind of a big deal, yet likely did not receive all the credit he should have, but that didn't stop him from doing 150% all the time, in all he did.

I would be remiss if I didn't highlight his classiness. In how he dressed, I could not believe how great he made neutral, simple tones look. And his hair! In how he made people feel, like they were seen. He was truly present. He was not just funny, but witty. With well-timed humor. Self-deprecating, never used to bring down others.

Anytime we were at a work function, he would talk about you guys. He was missing putting you to bed. Missing something that was going on. He talked about your Mom all the time. His love for you three came up every time I saw him.

Of course, I hear his voice say to me, "Katie, you make me sound too good". Which is his humbleness. But I disagree. I think your Dad was just so focused on being what he needed to be for people, he didn't have time to realize his amazingness. Such is the proof of it.

Our love to you all, The Rizzones

Hi Rachna Om Shanti 

Sorry to hear about Sameerji . Our prayers are with you and kids . God give lots of strength to you, children, Dixit family and your family to go through this difficult time. 

I remember your beautiful wedding and first birthday of Shiv . Thx for making us a part of this beautiful events and memories of life. 

Please don’t hesitate if anything we can do for you 

Usha Sudhir Agarwal’s 

My heart breaks with the loss of Sam. He was such an instrumental mentor in my early career as a sports medicine physician. We worked together at the Hospital for Special Surgery and on Thursdays we shared a small office and often ate lunch together. We shared stories of our families and travel. It was clear he had such love for his family. He had such wise words of wisdom in medicine. He had such a way to look at problems that led to things just making sense. He was open and honest and approachable and he was always there for me when I needed advice and I will carry with me his wise words through my career. Above all else though we spoke of all things Baltimore and especially the Baltimore Ravens that we shared support for. I happened to be an athlete at Johns Hopkins when he was a team physician. While I didn’t cross paths with him as an athlete I did have coaches and athletic trainers that worked closely with him, and everyone spoke so highly of Sam. On a personal level I knew how great he was as a physician and it was an honor to then work alongside with him. Sam had a clear passion for what he did and he shared that with those around him. If we could all be a bit more like Sam we will be better people and physicians. He will be greatly missed.

Oh Rachana, my heart is so heavy reading this. What a tragic loss.

I was just thinking of you both only a few days ago, remembering what a truly wonderful and compassionate doctor he was. I had the privilege of knowing him as a patient, and I still smile at the memory of how proudly he told me he was marrying a woman from Wellesley named Rachana — when he learned I had gone there too.  It was such a lovely connection, discussing how smart and kind and beautiful you are. 

I am devastated to have learned this, and I’m holding you and your family close in my thoughts. I’ve been off Facebook for quite some time and only just logged on to see this heartbreaking news.

I had the pleasure of working with Sam at HSS, and we quickly became friends. His contributions to medicine and to our service were notable, but I am sure I speak for many in saying that his friendship will be what is most missed. Conversations with Sam were easy, and you could always sense his genuine care and interest in what you had to say. He was level-headed and wise, and he became my go-to sounding board for navigating difficult situations. Sam approached challenges with both wisdom and gentleness.

We would often talk about our kids and it was clear how much he cared about his family. We would share parenting wisdom and mostly reflect on the fact that parenting felt much less like a science and more like an art. I will miss our conversations very much.

There is no doubt that his patients were blessed by his intelligence, compassion, and dedication. He set a high standard in sports medicine and was a respected leader and teacher. He was also quick to help, a thoughtful listener, and deeply authentic. Even his recommendation for a restaurant in Baltimore did not disappoint—I have yet to find a better whiskey sour than the one at the Sagamore Pendry.

Sam’s impact on me and on our HSS community was meaningful and positive. He will be deeply missed as a physician, a leader, a teacher, and a friend. He will be missed by many.   As I reflect on his life and our friendship, I will be sure to lift his family in prayer.  

Heartfelt condolences to the Dixit Family. I feel so lucky to have worked with Sam at HSS over the last couple of years. An incredible doctor, educator, and friend. May he rest in peace. 

Sameer foofa was capable and generous. He gave us great advice about NY kindergarten applications and raising kids generally. We were so proud that he was our cousin, and always felt lucky that he was the family we had nearby. We will really miss him.

Rachana, Shiv, and Siya

Words can't describe how crushed I am for your loss. This past week I have had overwhelming sadness when I consider the impact it has made on you. My relationship with Sam has developed over the last 5 years, first as a colleague at HSS and now as a friend. I was able to see him frequently. We had lunch together nearly every Thursday and it was the highlight of my week. He was so knowledgeable, warm, and entertaining. Such a good listener. He never seemed to have a bad day.  I am so fortunate to have enjoyed meeting with him just a few weeks ago the day after his birthday. We would talk about work related stuff but every time we spoke, he always had updates on his family. He loved you all so much.

Professionally he cared deeply for patients with superb intelligence and compassion. He was a wonderful teacher, mentor, and colleague. Sam was a graceful leader.

I will miss him dearly. I try to turn my sad thoughts of missing him into the happy memories of times we have had together. Easier said than done but I am working at it.

I once heard, a person is remembered by the "dash" between your birthdate and the day you pass. I believe that to be true. What Sam contributed in many ways, his "dash" was amazing. He made this world a better place. He was a "giver of life" and touched many. I feel so privileged to have had Sam as a friend. 

Jim

Siya’s birthday

My deepest condolences to Rachana, Shiv, and Siya. I had the privilege of being Sam’s primary care sports counterpart at the West Side at HSS. There are a select chosen few in this profession, and world for that matter, who are born educators, but Sam was one of them. He saw people in a way others couldn’t, or perhaps didn’t try to, because he asked questions, saw the best when possible, and took the time to check in with a frequency that allowed him to really get to know someone. I used to look forward to a little knock on my door every Tuesday knowing it would be Sam taking the time to come in to check on me when he probably had a million other things to do. I don’t think I even realized at the time how much he was mentoring me each week, because he had a way of making every conversation so genuine and friendly with just enough slightly self deprecating incredibly witty humor to make it feel casual. He was a master of diplomacy and a seemingly old soul with a very mature and rational perspective who led with kindness, service, and genuine compassion for others.

It was also obvious to me that Sam valued his family above all else. He lit up in a way that was different when he spoke about them than he did when he spoke about work. I remember him showing up to clinic one day in a very nice suit and asking him if he had an event with a team to which he replied, ever so cooly, “nope - kindergarten interviews…gotta love New York!” Similarly, seeing him rush out of the building one day assuming it was for something coverage related only to learn it was for guitar lessons he was taking with his daughter. It was very apparent that of all the teams Sam worked with, his team at home mattered most. My heart is with his family. 

I feel so blessed to have gotten to work closely with Sam over the past 15 years during my time at AMSSM. Sam had a warmth about him that made everyone feel at ease, respected and appreciated. He was such a genuine and caring person. Sam was selfless, humble and kind. He was one of the most sincere, dedicated, unassuming servant leaders I’ve ever worked with. I am a better person today for having worked with and learned from Sam. 

पुत्र समीर जी की पुन्य पवित्र दिवंगत आत्मा को हार्दिक भावभीनी श्रद्धांजलि, । अपने सू कर्मो  से आप अमृत को प्राप्त हैं ।आकस्मिक निधन से परिवार को गहरा हृदयविदारक आघात लगा है प्रभु हम सभी को इस असहनीय कष्ट को सहन करने का सामर्थ्य व शक्ति प्रदान कर कृपा करें ।ओ३म् शान्ति शान्ति शान्ति।

My deepest condolences to Sam’s family for such a tremendous loss. I first met Sam in 2005 when I was a sub-intern on the orthopaedic sports medicine service at UCLA and he was a fellow. He later joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins while I was a resident there, and subsequently we were partners in the JH Sports Medicine Division. His expertise and support were instrumental in developing the women’s sports medicine program and several other initiatives during my time at Hopkins.

Beyond his skill, however, Sam was always so kind and patient and witty - he never said anything negative about anyone (even when they deserved it!). It was a regular occurrence that I would burst into his office at Greenspring Station and rant about the issue of the week while he would listen patiently, sympathetically roll his eyes, and then follow with a precise commentary in the most wonderfully dry and insightful manner, all while remaining incredibly diplomatic. I remember often thinking that this is why people loved him— and he truly was so well loved by the staff and by any patient I sent his way.

It has been amazing but not surprising to watch him at his dream job at HSS doing so many incredible things (although, I will always consider him part of my Hopkins Sports Med family). I am so grateful for all that he brought into our lives as the consummate physician, leader and friend. 

My deepest condolences on the loss of a great friend and colleague, and a devoted father and husband. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, children, and family. 

Rushmore crew Diwali party

I had the privilege of being one of Dr. Dixit’s fellows at HSS. He quickly became a trusted teacher and mentor—smart, sincere, quick-witted, and always modeling the very best of what it means to be a sports medicine physician. Dr. Dixit had a way of making people feel seen, and his eyes would always light up when he spoke about his family. His guidance, generosity, and warmth left a lasting impact on me. Now in moments of clinical uncertainty, I often ask myself “What would Dr. Dixit do?” And I usually do that.

Dr. Dixit touched countless lives, and I feel lucky to have known him. My heartfelt condolences to his family.

A brilliant,compassionate, driven   physician whose  judgment and humor made him  fantasic partner.  He touched so  many and will be deeply missed.

Please click on this link for the livestream of Sunday’s service and Celebration of Life (11 a.m. - 2 p.m. EST).

https://www.evansfuneralchape…

Aum! 

Purnaidam Purnamaidah

Purnat purnam. Gachhte

Purnasya  Purnamadhay

Purnamevaduchyte 

Aum Shanti: Shanti: