Catalyst of Creativity

20 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Interviews (All), Interviews: Business, Publication: Verve Magazine

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Aishwarya Pathy, The Rose Code, Verve Magazine

Published Verve Magazine May 2015
Photography by Ryan Martis

“I believe in paving my own way through life and society. People like and respect you because of the person you are and not so much because of your family’s legacy.”

While growing up, 33-year-old Aishwarya Pathy (daughter of sugar baroness Rajshree Pathy) has had renowned artists and designers as house guests, while being surrounded by “beautiful, well-made objects”, and never missed the opportunity to travel for an interesting art show or a design exhibit. It was most natural for her, then, to work with her mother on projects that challenged and established aesthetic milestones. “There is a dearth of world-class design platforms and schools in India. We wanted to create something that would bring together creative individuals and businesses from all over the country. We felt the need for a design school for avant-garde design thinkers, a laboratory of sorts for their ideas; hence the concept of CoCCA came to fruition.”

The launch of IDF is a serious milestone in her life, as that set her apart as a pioneer. “I want IDF to be larger than a design conference restricted to Mumbai. It should traverse across the country and serve as a catalyst which changes the way people think about design. We aim to give Indian design the recognition it deserves — especially for the fine craftsmanship that exists in this country, the unique materials available only here and, of course, the talent.” IDF comprises a small team, where “everyone does everything.

For the most part I seek out interesting, new and original concepts in the world of design or in design education. I also handle tie-ups with various partners for the IDF event including sponsors, and work on the entire production.”

She is currently working on the next edition of IDF while also developing two new businesses with her real-estate-developer husband, Laxman Vaidya. Aishwarya juggles various roles by prioritising. “As a mother of two, it’s a constant struggle to do everything you want to do without feeling guilty about compromising somewhere! You do the best you can and try to have fun doing it.” Fond of travelling, spending time with her family and entertaining friends, she enjoys flexible working hours while multitasking, working off a daily task list. “I think it is important for a woman to be assertive — be it in her professional or personal life. Women are marginalised all the time, more so in our culture. We’re used to accepting that. I believe in a level playing field, so if you want it, you have to fight for it.”

Known to be spontaneous, Aishwarya describes her personal style as, “simple, timeless, chic and, most of all, comfortable.” She counts a pair of vintage art deco emerald earrings as her most treasured piece of jewellery and believes that dressing up for an occasion means, “wearing things that make you feel great.”

On looking at the future, she says, “A long time ago, I learnt to stop planning and embraced uncertainty. For me, it’s all about the present — enjoying where I am at this moment in time and not having expectations.”

Maven of Good Spirits

15 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Interviews (All), Interviews: Business, Publication: Verve Magazine

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Aishwarya Nair, luxurybrands, The Leela Group, The Rose Code, Verve Magazine

Published Verve Magazine April 2015
Photograph by Ryan Martis

“It is life in a bottle and that to me is magic.”

The third-generation hotelier with The Leela Group, Aishwarya Nair is the head of corporate food and wine merchandising, responsible for drafting the master wine list for all the units in the chain of hotels. When you factor in variables including location, climate, cuisine and clientele, it becomes quite a task. A vino culture educator and writer, she pushes the envelope for the food and wine experience and knowledge in India. The only woman in India to have been felicitated with an honorary diploma by the region of Champagne, Comite Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne, Aishwarya has received the ‘Businesswoman of the year 2014’ title from the Indian Leadership Conclave and has also published a coffee-table cookbook, The Fine Art of Food, with her sister, Amruda and photographer, Rohit Chawla.

“The subject itself keeps me going: there is always something new to learn. Every vintage has a different personality, which is the beauty of the wine world!” With a culinary degree to back her up — she obtained an Associate’s and Bachelor’s Degree in hotel and restaurant management at the Culinary Institute of America — Aishwarya ends up delving into the creative aspects of food as well. On a regular workday, her key functions involve product development, menu engineering, research about wine and food, creating menus and reworking existing lists based on her basic algorithm. “I looked at myself as competition and that enabled me to work creatively and build something sustainable in terms of branding for the Leela hotels’ repertoire in wine or my own artisanal brand AMAI.” After the success of her luxury pastry brand, Dolce, she went on to create AMAI influenced by the principles of Japanese macrobiotics. It is artisanal — all crafted by hand — using no refined flour, dairy or eggs. “It is what I predict will be the future for India – the idea of conscious eating.”

She’s fond of electronic music, world cuisine, all things retro, and foreign or classic films. “Eclectic, minimal, edgy yet sophisticated” is her style quotient, while dressing up for an occasion means “coordinating the design of your outfit to match (or mismatch) your accessories, make-up and hair, immaculately.” She believes her curiosity for all things and openness to new experiences is a personality trait that serves her well.

Thirty-year-old Aishwarya Nair, who would like to reach a point where her wants are lesser than her needs, sees herself investing creative resources in a fashion-related business, and cherishes her grandfather’s crocodile leather black suspenders, which he once let her borrow.

She remains inspired by “design, travel, Wes Anderson, powerful women, astrology and metaphysics,” and believes that success is all about being a pioneer in her field. “I would like to live a life where every whim is achievable, by my own right, independently.”

Purveyor Of The High Life

02 Monday Mar 2015

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Interviews (All), Interviews: Business, Publication: Verve Magazine

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The Rose Code, Verve Magazine

Published: Verve Magazine March 2015
Photograph by: Ryan Martis

“Luxury, for me, is about the experience. It’s about how it makes you feel.”

Rita and Raja Dhody’s elder daughter, Aneesa, has her mother’s sense of understated style, and an intuitive understanding of the good life. Armed with a double degree in business and communication from Bond University, Australia, Aneesa had a watershed moment moving from the world of ad production to the world of luxury. From a stint at Kailash Picture Films, she joined the Murjani group, representing brands across their luxury division. “The learning curve was very steep, as luxury in India was in its nascent stages, and one didn’t have any experience dealing with luxury brands here. The challenge was aligning the expectations of the brand headquarters while still being relevant to the Indian consumer.”

Post this, she began freelancing and eventually founded Creative Co in 2011, with Diageo on board as her first client. The fledgling company executed around 20 events for Diageo in their first year, one of them being the successful Ciroc Sundowners, which put the brand on the map. What started out as a two-person team, working out of Aneesa’s father’s study with a single client and merely an event division, now offers a range of services: brand consultation, public relations, social media and events. Creative Co works with brands such as Gucci, Hèrmes, Christian Louboutin, Diageo, Lancôme, Clarins, Le Mill, and Pinakin.

Aneesa’s role in the company has grown to be a more holistic one – of being a mentor to her team and an advisor to her clients, while focusing on strategy and growth for the company as a whole. “I give my team a lot of flexibility and encourage them to develop their own minds and have continuous learning on the job. With my clients, I am always available should they need to bounce ideas off me or share thoughts on new developments.”

She spends her time working on deliverables or targets, checking in with her team, and meeting her clients regularly – juggling a busy day schedule with work commitments that occasionally stretch to late evenings. “The challenge is also to constantly innovate and not stagnate creatively. Marketing is all about coming up with new ways to engage consumers, so the work in itself is demanding.”

Aneesa’s personal style is “classic, feminine, and sometimes eclectic”. She treasures her grandmother’s coloured diamond necklace, where each stone is cut in the shape of a heart. Married to Harsh Mehta, who develops luxury villas in Alibaug, Aneesa loves to travel if she has a few days off and hits the spa every Sunday. She defines luxury as, “going away to the Maldives and switching off my phone for three days…or buying a pair of handmade leather sandals in Greece! As is opening a great bottle of wine, and sharing it with a friend.”

While ambitious people inspire her, she appreciates straight shooters: “I’m a ‘from the heart’ sort of a person. I don’t know how to be ‘fake’. Therefore, I attract similar people to my life, and it’s been quite rewarding so far.”

The Shutter-stopper: Anushka Menon

12 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Interviews (All), Interviews: The Arts, Publication: Verve Magazine

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Anushka Menon, The Rose Code, Verve Magazine

Published: Verve Magazine, February 2015
Photograph by Manpreet Singh

“It’s the butterflies that keep me going.”

Raised in Muscat, 30-year-old photographer Anushka Menon left home at the young age of 15, shortly after her father passed away, with just enough money to buy a ticket and pay for a year’s education abroad. After studying art design and communication in Melbourne, she pursued her diploma in photography, which brought her to India. In 2005, she began her career as one of India’s youngest female photographers to have worked in the beauty and fashion industry, leading to an enviable portfolio. Now she is also branching out abroad.

“When I developed my first roll of film, I was hooked. It was a magical experience. I had no idea that I would end up in India and had no idea that there were hardly any women photographers at the time.” The Rolex Watches (2012/13) campaign with brand ambassador Anoushka Shankar, winning accolades and awards, and just this year being signed with One League Creative Management in Cape Town, South Africa, are things she considers milestones professionally. She also teaches and conducts workshops.

Initially she had to face raised eyebrows at being a woman in a male-dominated profession. Top photographers in Delhi turned her down as their assistant. “It took time and patience to build a name and to get myself noticed behind the camera. I struggled to learn the game, I had no one to help me, and I’ve built myself up on my own merit.” The stress and exhaustion led to some trouble with her health and subsequent weight loss, which changed when she could finally get an assistant.

“Every shoot is a challenge and some shoots are more exciting than others. Fulfilling clients’ expectations is intrinsically linked to being able to adapt, transform and bring an idea to life.” She enjoys interacting with talented people and creating beautiful imagery, travelling the world, experiencing fashion and beauty at its best and learning on the job.

Never missing her early morning yoga session, she takes the day head on by getting to her shoots, figuring out briefs and planning the rest of the day. The evening is spent unwinding with her dogs and an occasional glass of wine, while she works on shortlisting the images from the shoot. And to hold it all together, she believes in clear communication and direction and being respectful to her coworkers. Married to Tapan Raj (one half of the band Midival Punditz), she enjoys trying new things like acro yoga, aerial silks, working on music, DJing, and does charity work with dogs.

Anushka, who’s been a part of Verve’s Best Dressed List, used to be very rock chic in her dressing style, but is now more “experimental street style with mature overtones”. Dressing up for an occasion means “wearing heels and make-up”, while she believes “less is more.” Her favourite piece of jewellery is a ring her mother gave her when she got married. “Being successful is about being happy, doing what I love and giving back to those around me.” The go-getter sees herself travelling the world and working on bigger campaigns and extending herself creatively. “I’d like to leave a mark — even if it’s a tiny one.”

Brand Builder

08 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Interviews (All), Interviews: Business, Publication: Verve Magazine

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The Rose Code, Verve Magazine

Published Verve Magazine, December 2014
Photography by Manpreet Singh

She can race cars, ride horses, skydive and speak the language of luxury with equal aplomb. A born entrepreneur, Pushpanjali Chawla makes her presence felt on The Rose Code

I strongly believe that if you do something, do it to the best of your ability, or don’t do it at all.”

Thirty-seven-year-old entrepreneur Pushpanjali Chawla née Baidyanath (from the family owning Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Ltd) took a chance when she left Pepsi (USA) and moved back to India. She found a niche in the burgeoning, but hitherto unorganised, luxury market. The Stanford University and University of Richmond alumna kick-started her erstwhile venture Blueprint Retail Pvt. Ltd. with Burberry as her first client, followed by Exclusive Motors (Bentley and Lamborghini). She’s a consultant that companies may partner with to achieve their brand goals; she also provides outsourced solutions for retail operations and management and is currently involved in the ventures Luxuryworks, Piivotul Consulting Services and Luxuryworks Gifting Service.

Self-motivation, Pushpanjali feels, is the one key trait that keeps her going through the victories and the downs, not to mention managing via rigorous prioritising and delegation. “I surround myself with good people who I can rely on, both at work and at home. My husband (Rohtash Chawla, owner and director of Signet Garments) and my 10-month-old son are my absolute priority. Being organised and managing your time well are critical to being a master juggler.”

Enjoying the aspect of her work that allows her to avoid regular work days, she can “travel often, research constantly, work across industries and categories and meet a wide range of people. It’s dynamic and ever evolving.” Always one to live in the moment, Pushpanjali is into adventure sports, is a certified skydiver and has raced on the Nascar amateur circuit in the US. “When you are jumping off a plane or approaching a sharp corner on the race track, your mind, body and soul are all in the grip of that one moment. It’s pure, exhilarating and completely free from the yesterday and the tomorrow.”

The published poet and former US State beauty pageant winner is a power dresser who believes in timeless elegance – the sophisticated classic with a feminine touch. Turning out for an occasion means wearing something elegant in monochromatic colours, fine jewellery and statement heels. She treasures her engagement ring, wedding band and a jhoomar worn by her grandmother on her own wedding day. “My engagement ring and wedding band were both designed by my husband. His engineer’s mind got the proportions and ratios on the rings just right…they are magnificent!”

Pushpanjali Chawla remains inspired by “the goodness in life and beauty in nature. I meet amazing, wonderful human beings every day.” She believes it’s important to be non-judgemental because “no one can walk in another’s shoes” and that allows her to appreciate and celebrate diversity in thought and action. And success is being able to say, “I did it my way….”

A Pop-Up Star

13 Saturday Dec 2014

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Fashion & Style, Interviews (All), Interviews: Lifestyle, Publication: Verve Magazine

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Designers, Interview, Pernia Qureshi, The Rose Code, Verve Magazine

Published Verve Magazine, November 2014
Photograph by Ryan Martis.

She is assertive and doesn’t believe in wasting time. Founder and owner of perniaspopupshop.com, top stylist, Pernia Qureshi, who has made it to the cover of Verve’s best dressed list, sits pretty on The Rose Code list of achievers

“My online store is my baby and means a lot to me. I have never worked as hard as I did to put this store together. It was a huge challenge but worth it!”

She majored in criminal justice and English literature, and minored in dance from George Washington University, USA. She had ambitions to become a lawyer while growing up, but Pernia Qureshi ended up being a top stylist and fashion entrepreneur. Working in the fashion industry as a stylist in New York, she found her footing and brought that back to India. “New York was a great learning experience for me. It laid the base on which I built my career.” Upon returning to Delhi though, it wasn’t easy at first. “I found it hard to relate to disorganisation, unpunctuality, and unprofessionalism in some cases.”

Pernia worked independently with top Indian designers on their campaigns, look books and fashion shows. She also began styling for Indian cinema with movies like Aisha (2010) and Thank You (2011). Simultaneously, she poured her energies into building possibly India’s first curated fashion shopping portal, perniaspopupshop.com (PPUS), which has been a resounding success. While she works for her online store 24/7, she remains interested in styling for cinema, awaiting the kind of projects that would spark her interest.

Evidently, having worked on every aspect of her business, she is connected to it in a way that is different from her independent projects. “It is hard to pinpoint one aspect as the most challenging or enjoyable. I am involved in everything and I get a sense of overall satisfaction and pride from my work.” She has a busy day, but manages to involve her love for dancing in it. “These days my schedule is off. Normally I wake up, have breakfast, move on to spending two hours in my Kuchipudi class with Raja and Radha Reddy and Kaushalya Reddy, get home, shower, lunch, head to work at PPUS, and reach back home for an early dinner.”

Whether at work or at an event, she knows how to work the styling charm, while being appropriate to the occasion and respecting the dress code. “My personal style is classic, feminine and sometimes sexy.” Her most treasured piece of jewellery remains her grandmother’s earrings that the latter wore at her wedding.

She’s looking ahead, but her thoughts are simple. “I don’t feel like I have reached any milestone professionally yet. Personally I have managed to have a family and a few friends that love me and dote on me. For me, that’s a milestone enough.” As for the future – “I don’t plan so far ahead. I just hope to be financially independent and creatively satisfied. I am inspired by so many things all the time. All my senses are constantly engaged. And success to me is measured in happiness.”

Tech Tycoon

28 Tuesday Oct 2014

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Interviews (All), Interviews: Business, Publication: Verve Magazine

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Devita Saraf, The Rose Code, Verve Magazine

Vervemagazine.in October 2014
Photograph by Toranj Kavyon

The CEO and design head of Vu Technologies, Devita Saraf, is a trained Odissi dancer, member of the international high-IQ Mensa society and has been ranked in the top 25 most powerful women in India (2006) by leading national media. Young, smart and talented, there’s no question about Devita Saraf’s place in The Rose Code

“I believe in thinking ahead. I get very uncomfortable if things seem too unchanged.”

The 32-year-old daughter of Rajkumar Saraf (chairman and CEO of Zenith Computers) started training at the age of 16, and made sure her academic career followed suit. Post management of technology at University of California, Berkeley, business degrees from the University of Southern California and London School of Economics, Devita Saraf joined her family business at 21 becoming the director of marketing. At 24 she started Vu Technologies, and at age 29, co-founded the Pittsburgh-based Vu Telepresence Inc. “While at Zenith Computers, working closely with industry behemoths such as Intel and Microsoft, we realised the burgeoning demand for high-end technology in the emerging Indian market. I mixed my love for luxury with our background of technology and the innovation capabilities of these large companies, and started Vu Technologies.”

She looks at the entire business, “even boring bits such as accounts, logistics and operations”, while her heart remains in marketing. She exemplifies the spirit of entrepreneurship: “It begins with imagining something that doesn’t exist and making it real. Entrepreneurship is a personality trait more than a job. Like the friend in the group who always makes plans, as opposed to the ones that just go along for the ride.”

Success is sweet, as Saraf has discovered. “I was never a topper in school and barely got any certificates for academic excellence, so I guess I compensated to my parents by winning some major business awards. They make my mother proud, and that is always satisfying.” It’s not surprising then that she counts as her personal milestone being invited to her school (Queen Mary School, Mumbai) as a chief guest a few years ago. “The same teachers who punished me for being a mischievous child, were now being hospitable. But they were also very proud of me and moments like these motivate me to work hard.”

While her workday is generally a mix of meetings, emails and face-to-face interactions with team members, she leads a “normal South Mumbai life, taking long walks at Marine Drive or meeting friends at the Willingdon Club. I’m not married yet, so it gives me enough time to pursue my interests such as dance or actively participate in EO and other forums.” Saraf also has certifications in Ikebana and jewellery design. She designed her name in diamonds as a necklace for her 10th birthday and wore it for every birthday thereafter. “Honestly, it surprises me that my parents let me design with diamonds at age nine!”

The global jetsetter’s personal style can be described as “feminine sophisticate” as she favours body-con dresses, red, pink, floral prints, lace, trench coats, hats and jewellery. “Even though I am in business, my style is far from androgynous.” She is inspired by “powerful princesses” and is all about creating new milestones and reaching them. “I do aspire to have political and policy-making leadership in this country. It’s the least we can do for the future of our country.”

Creative Philanthropist

27 Saturday Sep 2014

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Art, Literature & Culture, Interviews (All), Interviews: The Arts, Publication: Verve Magazine

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Art, Rouble Nagi, The Rose Code, Verve Magazine

Published: Verve Magazine, September 2014
Photograph by Toranj Kavyon

Artist, Rouble Nagi, has done more than 800 murals and installations worldwide. She’s a style maven, a mother and runs her own welfare foundation for underprivileged children

“I get inspired by life – it is a learning process and our experiences are a part of it.”

Though Mumbai-based Rouble Nagi studied Fine Art in London’s Slade School of Art, she had actually been painting since she was a little schoolgirl. She can still spend the entire day with a blank sheet and crayons, even though she experiments with materials for her murals and sculptures. Her father was from the armed forces, so travelling and finding inspiration wherever she went was a natural process. “You learn something every day if you just pay attention, the journey through life is just a long learning experience, without a destination. I’m loving it – creating a new milestone every day.”

She has always been inclined towards working in a three-dimensional medium. Murals are her first choice along with installations when it comes to a form of art. “I hope people develop an interest in and liking for public art. The installations are always site specific, as many things including the surroundings have to be taken into consideration.” She always has a strong emotional connect to her work. “Art without emotion isn’t art at all.” The 34-year-old has a mixed roster of patrons for her work, including artistes and Indian cinema personalities – all art lovers with whom she has a personal equation.

Rouble divides her time between her workshop, her family and her NGO. “As an artist I believe I must give back to the people.” She started working along with the NGO Pratham before she started the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation (RNAF) two years ago. “India’s youth is a powerhouse of infinite energy and all we need is to direct their energy in constructive channels that lead to development and progress. RNAF is dedicated to the care, welfare education and rehabilitation of underprivileged children. Equality and not charity is what we believe in.” Despite being passionate about her work and the NGO, she manages to be there for her family, which includes her two-and-a-half-year-old son, Vivaan.

“As the saying goes, ‘Fashion fades but style is eternal’. My confidence is my style quotient; it’s never about how well you dress or the brand you are wearing, it’s about how you carry it. Your style is about who you are.” Always immaculately turned-out, her favourite piece of jewellery remains her wedding ring, to which she has a strong emotional connect.

Rouble Nagi has a powerful mantra for living life meaningfully: “Success isn’t about what you accomplish in your life, it’s about inspiring people to do what they think cannot be done. Success can never assure you happiness, but by being happy with what you are doing, you have already succeeded.”

Boardroom Tigress

10 Wednesday Sep 2014

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Interviews (All), Interviews: Business, Publication: Verve Magazine

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Nadia Chauhan Kurup, The Rose Code, Verve Magazine

Published: Verve Magazine, August 2014
Photograph by Toranj Kavyon

Twenty-eight-year-old Nadia Chauhan Kurup is chief marketing officer and joint managing director of Parle Agro Pvt Ltd. She’s taken the company from Rs 300 crores to Rs 2000 crores in the last five years

“I am inspired by fearless and passionate people who always do what it takes to fulfill their cherished dreams.”

She’s won awards, she’s delivered a double-digit growth every year and she’s driven diversification making Parle Agro a leader in both beverage and food. Nadia Chauhan Kurup proves that progeny can be the leaders of the next gen. “I remember being mesmerised by the stories my dad (Prakash Chauhan) would relate to us and the many new products that he often brought back for us to taste. Passion is undoubtedly contagious! My inquisitiveness about everything that he was doing kept growing stronger as I became older. I used to spend many hours after school and often even on weekends at his office.”

From a shy child to a boardroom tigress, she has come a long way. “I remember often enough being quite intimidated when I was asked by my father to join a meeting and observe. I picked up a great deal from his very dynamic style of leadership. I noticed how he worked with intuition and his gut in taking decisions. I rely on a lot of this myself even today, in taking the organisation forward.” Looking at the future, she believes that the thriving business is at a tipping point, about to take a greater leap forward.

With great support from her husband and children, she has ably managed to find a suitable balance to ensure that her four-year-old daughter and ten-month-old son remain a big part of her day. “Nia and Kian have accompanied me to office since they were a month old. I am as passionate a mother as I am a businesswoman. I am very hands-on and extremely proud to be so. While you sacrifice some things just to be able to create that balance and give your 100 per cent, to see the outcome of it is the best feeling ever! I dedicate all my non-working time to my kids.”

She’s a perfectionist who often likes to step away from her comfort zone. “I take risks, I explore new ground – with that I grow and with that the business grows further. Personally, I would like to see myself travelling around the world and discovering new experiences.” Her daily personal style is practical and comfortable; while dressing up for an occasion it translates into ‘graceful elegance’.

Nadia admits that she is not fond of the gender question in the business arena. “Why create such differentiation, when there is none? Women around the world are becoming increasingly dominant in work, education, households, even in love and marriage. Some studies suggest that the global economy is becoming a place where women are finding more success than men, and are poised to become the next superpower. It’s pretty much evident with the increasing number of women running some of the best companies in the world.”

Connoisseur of Canvases

10 Thursday Jul 2014

Posted by sitanshi talati-parikh in Art, Literature & Culture, Interviews (All), Interviews: The Arts, Publication: Verve Magazine

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Art, Christies, Sonal Singh, The Rose Code, Verve Magazine

Published: Verve Magazine, July 2014
Photograph by Toranj Kavyon

She has established herself in the art world, has the happy ability to see the lighter side of things, is inspired by nature and is a specialist and head of Christie’s Mumbai sale

“I don’t really have a normal work day, as I spend a lot of my time on road.”

The 35-year-old associate director and head of sale for South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art at Christie’s Mumbai is unlikely to be chained to a desk, and probably has the most creative mix of business and pleasure. She was partial to the arts from childhood. After studying sociology at Delhi University – where she spent a good deal of her time competing for the college at music competitions – Sonal Singh created a solid foundation for herself artistically and academically in London: ceramic design at Central St. Martins College of Art and Design, modern and contemporary art at Christie’s Education and a Master’s in art business at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. After working in the field for a few years, she joined Christie’s in 2007 when the latter decided to expand its operations in India and were looking for a resident specialist.

“Every auction that you work on is exciting – to be able to handle the art at first hand is really the most thrilling experience for someone with my passions! Having said that, being a part of the Christie’s first auction in India (December 2013) was really a dream.” While she interacted with big names in the art world at the India Habitat Centre and worked with many artists at Bodhi Art Gallery, at Christie’s she is consumed by the sheer volume and quality of art that she is exposed to – some of the world’s greatest works. “Seeing the whole process through is really gratifying – first working with the collector and getting the consignment, appraising its value and importance and then seeing it go under the hammer. Negotiating for a work can be hard but getting it into an auction is extremely satisfying; similarly the actual auction can be stressful but when an artwork sets a new record or fetches a good price, it’s the most thrilling experience.”

What would someone who works with works of art like to see on her own walls? “I like the immediacy of works on paper and this is mostly what I’ve bought. I’d love to have works by Gaitonde and Amrita Sher-Gil some day and I would like to start learning more about antiquities, in particular, Gandhara sculptures.” She likes Indian textiles, treasures family jewellery and has recently rediscovered saris, while otherwise she would be likely to be seen in churidaars for formal occasions and jeans-and-shirts on a casual note.

She works as part of a team, with colleagues based in New York, London and Mumbai. They curate auctions and aim to bring together rare, important and exquisite works of art. Not surprisingly, she is often on the move, which works well for her, as she is fascinated with planes. After work, if there aren’t any overseas conference calls scheduled, she finds time for a walk, a gallery opening or catches up with friends for dinner.

“I realised a few years ago that the people in my life are my priority and I try to spend as much time as I can with them.” Sonal Singh believes in living life on her own terms and in creating her own path; and that success is nothing more or less than “making the most of what life gives you”.