Q1. What inspired you to pursue a career in your field, and how have your experiences shaped your professional identity ?

My career it’s a family owned business and the brand name goes back to 135 years. So it is seven generations now. I joined this business after the demise of my late husband. That was 11 years ago. Technically it was something which you know, it just happened to me and I had to do it. I have always been a creative person so I definitely love the art, the finesse of jewelry making, the gemstones it’s a very artistic field. That is why it inspires me each and every day.

The gemstones and the art of jewelry. The beauty of jewelry. It inspires me every day and my experience is definitely you know when you’re doing jewelry business you learn each and you learn every moment. So you keep, your eyes open your mind and your heart open. Your inspiration can strike you from anywhere. And definitely it has shaped my professional identity into being the most trusted woman jeweller in the industry today.

Q2. Have you ever faced challenges in maintaining a healthy balance between your personal life and professional commitments? If so, how did you overcome them ?

Yes, definitely. Challenges are always they’re always there. You just need to know how to strike a balance and what to prior to what to give your priority to what that particular moment whichever requires your utmost attention. You should give your attention to that no matter what whether it’s family or whether it’s work. If there is something which requires attention in my work I give attention to that first. And if it is my family or my son which you know who requires more attention, then definitely I don’t even think twice or blink my eyes towards it. I go and you know give 100% to my family and my son first. Q3. How do your personal values align with your professional goals, and how does this alignment influence your decision-making ?

My personal value is definitely aligned as I have been. I as a you know as a person I’ve been brought up with lots of values and ethics and you know I’ve been always taught as a child also and as an adult as a teenager as a young adult an adult that you should always respect no matter who it is.

So that is definitely it aligns with my personal goals because I give respect to not only people who are buying from me but also the people who I’m dealing with and my karigars no matter who it is for me I believe that that person is working and earning his living or her living by doing honest and hard work. They deserve all the respect in this world, no matter who they may be.

 

“There are so many temples for all our religious purposes everything. So I think silver has a beautiful bright future. So I’m focusing a lot on silverware and gemstones.”

 

Q4. Can you share some highlights of your current projects or work that you find particularly fulfilling or challenging ?

So I have been focusing a lot on the silverware in my store, and I’ve been focusing a lot on the color gemstones lately because more than diamonds, the gemstones the world of gemstones the world of color fascinates me a lot. And I think silver and silverware has a wonderful beautiful bright future considering we live in a country where there are so many traditions and so many customs and so many festivals happening every now and then every month the Indian weddings are larger than life. So and there are few customs Indian customs like handing over the silver gifts and you know using silverware even for corporate gifting.

I think silver has a beautiful bright future. So I’m focusing a lot on silverware and gemstones. You know how emeralds have become a big rage thanks to the Ambanis and you know in India and even abroad emeralds have become more valuable and  more expensive gemstones even more than diamonds or any other gemstones.

Q5. What accomplishments in your career do you feel most proud of, and how have they contributed to your professional growth ?

I feel thankful in my career span of last 11 years I have been extremely blessed by God. I’m a big fan and you know a follower of her Shivji. So I’ve been extremely blessed by him and by universe. I was for me I think the the biggest accomplishment which which I feel was very big for me and my career and also you know helped me a lot in getting the recognition in the entire industry was when I became the JIA you know jewelry eminence Award jury member in 2022. And when I was elected for that and I was the first member of my family in all these years of jewelry line and business. I got recognition in the entire industry and everywhere that really helped me in my career a lot.

Q6. Where do you see yourself professionally in the next five years, and what steps are you taking to work towards that vision ?

Well I see myself as a more established and a go to person for each and every family and women in Delhi and far beyond for gemstones and silver. Because I’m focusing a lot on these two things as of now. I want people to recognize my name when they think of what they should think of me when they think of emeralds, Colombians or Zambians, or they think of any other color gemstones. They should think of me. Okay we need to go to Meghali because I focus on quality a lot. I deliver I try and deliver the best in the best pricing as well. You know for me earning connections is more important than earning money.

I believe in making meaningful and worthwhile worthy and deep long lasting connections. For me it’s more about friendship and connections than business. They know that Meghali would never give us the wrong pricing. She would give us the best product and the best of pricing.

Q7. Are there specific skills or areas of expertise you aim to develop over the next ten years to enhance your life trajectory ?

I definitely want to be more active when I work. I want to work on myself physically more. I want to become more energetic. So I want to definitely work on my health. And so first and foremost my health so that I can be more energetic and I can give more time to things that are most important to me and to people who are most important to me also expertise.

I definitely want to believe nothing is impossible. So if I want to try keep trying new methods of studying a gemstone in a different way or molding silver into a different shape and form which is absolutely completely different from what everyone has seen so far. So yes I want to keep trying and keep experimenting.

 

Q8. What would you say has been the most crucial aspect to you achieving this level of success ?

I believe the most crucial aspect for me is for everyone to take me seriously. You know, because when I stepped into the business I was the first woman from my family to step into this business. So for me to make that happen has been a very big deal.

 

Q9. How do you recharge and find balance in your personal life, especially during particularly hectic or challenging periods in your career ?

I recharge by giving time to myself. I have my own me time and I believe self-love is the most important thing you can ever indulge in. So I don’t compromise on Me time when I need it I need it. Everyone understands it. Everyone who’s around me who loves me who is near and dear to me They understand my value my need my need for my own time. So I do that a lot. You know if I feel like going for a spa I go for a spa. If I do feel like going for a movie I go for a movie. That is enough for me to recharge. If I want to travel I go for two nights. I take a break.

 

“I feel thankful in my career span of last 11 years I have been extremely blessed by God. I’m a big fan and you know a follower of her Shivji. So I’ve been extremely blessed by him and by universe.”

 

Q10. How do you foster inclusivity and diversity within your team or organization, while keeping in mind the importance of maintaining structural integrity ?

Fortunately, with God’s grace we are team of Shri Ram Hari Ram Jewellers. We have the most wonderful thing anyone can ever dream of. Our employees are older much older they came to us when they were young teenagers; they have huge respect and dedication towards the brand and towards the family. They are our people. They are in fact as we call them they are our SR family. We are nothing without them. I mean just as they believe that they are nothing without us we also believe that we are nothing without them. We have four different departments. We have a diamond department, we have the gold department we have the moti department and we have the silver department and the different areas. The repair section is separate the the you know the, the manufacturing section is separate the HR section is separate Everything we have separate sections so we’ve been able to and everyone knows their job. They share a very healthy relationship, work relationship with each other. And yeah they’re all the I mean everyone is super enthusiastic and learning and doing more and more.

Q12. How do you maintain your own professional development while also maintaining your position at the pinnacle of your industry ?

My own professional development has been by learning. I keep learning through small, various different, whether it’s a course, whether it’s a, uh, it’s a two day workshop or whether it’s indulging in like minded working women or interacting with CEOs or the founders or the business owners of different fields. I keep learning from them and I’m a part of different organizations. So that is how I learn and grow more, not only as a professional but also as a person. Definitely while maintaining my position in, in this industry as a jeweller and in my company, as the director of the company, by interacting with different people from different levels of professional organizations.

 

“I want people to recognize my name when they think of what they should think of me when they think of emeralds, Colombians or Zambians, or they think of any other color gemstones.”

 

Q13. What initiatives or projects have been close to your heart or compelled you to take action or raise your voice ?

My initiative, I mean, we stopped doing exhibitions, so we were not really that heavily into social media or, you know, the shoots and, and all that stuff. Soyes, definitely. When I came in, we had everyone, whoever from the new generation came in, came in with the fresh ideas and new ideas of how to expand the awareness of the brand amongst the millennials and or Delhi people because everyone knew the brand, but they didn’t know that what all we were doing for, you know, to make the brand more, contemporary, more upscale. So definitely all these initiatives of social media, of PR, of collaborations, of exhibitions and everything in collaborating with professionals from different different fields and  doing things for a cause or whether it’s being a part of a polo match or part of any social cause.  

Q13. Do you feel that you have used your position to advocate for gender equality and support other women in your industry ? If so, when ?

Definitely I have increased more of our women staff at our store and in our office. Now we have a lot of women working under us and also women from my family. More women from my family have joined the business after me. And not only that but we also have collaborated with different professional working women from different fields of arts and from the field of arts architecture and dance and fashion where  we have definitely  put women on top that we have supported other women and gender equality. In my store we give women more empowerment and more importance than the men. We try and we are all very empathetic towards women in my at my store and in my organization.

 

Q14. In what ways do you strive to be a role model for future generations of women leaders ?

I just want every woman who sees me and takes inspiration from me just to be fairly fearless so I want women to understand that despite of facing all the challenges you should be fearless. Life is supposed to happen, change is the only constant. If it is a good time also, then also you should be very well mentally prepared and strong. You should have that strength in you to be prepared for struggling times as well.

Whether it is failure or not failure. You learn from your mistakes. You adapt yourself to a better version of yourself. You will grow into a better person only when you are fearless and you accept. You take on challenges. Bang on. You should do that and never lose your confidence. Be very confident no matter what even if you’re not feeling confident, you should show confidence. You should exude confidence.Q15. How can society create a more supportive environment for women to thrive in positions of power or have access to equal opportunities as men ?

I believe that every man every boy as a child every man as a young man every college, every school should teach the male members. The parents should teach them. The son or the male members of the family. And similarly the college and everyone. But both men and women are equally gifted mentally also and in strength also. If a woman can bleed for five days in a month and carry a child for nine months give birth to a child another life and still carry on with the duties of family and her career or her profession of women a woman can do. I mean I think she can move heaven and earth if she wants to if she comes down to it.

So I think men should be educated on this fact that you have to respect women. Every woman, no matter where she comes from what background she’s coming from or how is she coming or what circumstances she’s coming from. I think every man should be encouraged to look up to that woman with huge respect and honor. That is something which if this society can create the supportive and the environment of respect for women, I’m sure the women will thrive and will blossom like anything.