What has working with people with disabilities taught you?
I think our biggest learning has been that we need to change the language and narratives used to address people with disabilities.
We must remember that when we talk about disability, we might think that this might never happen to us. Any planning that we do has to be done with the mindset of ‘what if this happens’ and not ‘when it happens’.
How is reading going to compete with scrolling in the new world?
This is a question that keeps popping up every time. I think after a point, we are going to be tired of scrolling. I believe that writing changes with the times that we live in, and it is going to have to change to speak to newer generations.
Having moved on from cloth, we have noticed your work in metal and other materials. Could you elaborate on that?
I started out weaving sarees, unstructured garments and shawls. I wove what I’m wearing now, too. I have always innovated and I’m now known as an experimental artist and weaver. I weave with just about anything I can lay my hands on.
What’s the one piece of advice from your former boss, Kris Gopalakrishnan, that has lasted you well?
When I went into work every day in my executive career, Kris embodied not just the technology that he represented, but also the empathy he talked about. For me, it’s very special getting this award in Bengaluru, in front of Kris and my husband, who was my first and has been my lifelong mentor, and my two children, who never let me fall into the guilt trap, even when I was straddling both my career and home.
What’s the one craft that you’re really proud to have either revived or to have expanded?
One of our particularly special projects was in Cheriyal, Telangana. There were only seven master artisan families left practicing the craft. We set up a livelihood center in the village and trained 30 women. Today, we are reviving this very rare craft with the women earning a monthly income by creating these beautiful products entirely from tamarind seed and sawdust.
What does a zero-waste life mean? How do you live such a life?
For me, and all of us at Bare Necessities, it is about reimagining how we live from this disposable culture to one that is more circular and sustainable. The idea of a zero-waste lifestyle is all about how we can reduce our footprint to as little as possible and how we can all live a little lighter on our planet.
How did an IIM Ahmedabad graduate get into the food business?
It was actually my husband, Raghav, who pulled me into this business. Since then, everything has been for the good. Despite being in the food business, we’re a traditional family and cook at home every day (laughs)
Your academy has a lot of focus on sports. Could you talk about that?
Sports, for me, was like oxygen. I was always in the last row in class and liked to maximise learning outside the classroom. What I learned from sports was to set goals, work towards them, handle success and failure in life and more. I think every person should be out there playing some sport.
In your two-decade journey in the field, did you ever imagine that you would see Nectar Fresh stocked everywhere?
I could have never imagined that. Now we’re in stores everywhere and replacing foreign brands in India’s high-end market. We also have our products in Walmart, both in the United States and Canada. Doing this, especially with a team that is undereducated, is a big moment for us because women from rural India find it even harder to get recognition.
(Compiled by Aakansha Munshi and Reshma Syed)