Women of Essence - 1

We brought together fifteen accomplished women for a fun-filled photo session to weave a striking story that captures their passion and zest for life. The common thread that connects these beautiful women, who are achievers in their own right, is their love for handloom sarees and ethnic weaves.

They are quintessentially Indian women with a global outlook. The choices they make in their career and lifestyle, the clothes they wear, and the opinions and beliefs they hold reflect the power of the modern Indian women and their ability to shine in whatever they do.

We now, present to you six of these dazzling divas, who graciously agreed to pose in our creations for this summer.

Bundle of energy

Kripa is a bundle of energy with equal accomplishments in arts and academics. A budding lawyer, she has represented India at various law competitions at the international level. Kripa is currently in Vienna, representing the country at the prestigious MOOT court. She is also a prolific Bharatanatyam dancer, who started learning dance at the age of 14. When she drapes the six-yard wonder, she represents the very epitome of the current generation of Indian women: progressive with strong roots.

Donning many hats

Boundless is the word that best describes Samathmika, who excels in several fields, as a teacher, educator, instructional designer, author, and a career coach. She is passionate about music, dance, interior design and painting. She loves all things simple and natural. She’s an animal lover, an advocate of a vegan lifestyle, and an ardent fan of handwoven and handmade fabrics. She currently lives in Salt Lake City in the US.

An avial of all things Indian

‘Love’ and ‘care’ are the words that come to mind when you meet Sara Premkumar. She is a culinary expert who runs Avial, a meal delivery business, in Chennai. Avial serves sumptuous homemade meals made from the finest ingredients from her garden-cum-mango orchard, which she has nurtured for many years. From chanting slokas to collecting traditional Indian art and handlooms, Sara loves all things Indian.

Music, Kanjivarams, terrace gardening and books!

Unique and striking... that’s Sujatha for you. These are the very qualities that she loves in her kanjivaram sarees. And she is quite a collector, with an enviable collection of exclusive Kanjivarams and handlooms in stunning hues. Sujatha, who lives in Chennai, is also a huge bibliophile, a music connoisseur, and a culinary whiz. She is working on a project called ‘Temple to Terrace’ wherein she grows vegetables on the terrace and cooks them.

Looking good and feeling good

Chennai-based Meera Mehta is an educator, a yoga expert and a motivational speaker. She’s also a mentor who loves working with underprivileged children and young adults. Yoga is not only her passion but is also raison d'etre!

Versatile and vivacious

Meghana Krishnan, a Bharatanatyam dancer and a saree lover, loves experimenting with new weaves and textures, amply aided by her mother’s passion for the garment and her vast collection. She believes the right outfit can make all the difference. And that’s why she’s picky about her sarees, be it the traditional six-yards version or the dance saree for her Bharatanatyam recitals. “Once you have mastered the art of draping the saree, the sky is your limit,” says this confident young woman from Chennai.

Check out this space for our next blog where we present the other Women of Essence.