My Journey | Vidya's Entrepreneurial Ventures

Growing up in Bangalore in the 1970s and 80s, my family’s fashion sense mesmerised me, watching them dress in sarees, langa-blouse sets, skirts, pants, and various tops. The vibrant colours and intricate designs captivated me.

Though academics was family priority which made me pursue a master’s in psychology and work as a psychologist, food and fashion became my true passion. My mother, a skilled seamstress, crafted most of our clothes, inspiring me to explore fashion magazines and admire friends’ fashionable attire. I learned some stitching from my mother and shared my design ideas with her.

Once, during a family wedding, I insisted she make an ankle skirt with orange and black polka-dotted applique work. It turned out beautifully and received rave reviews to become a copycat favourite among the family. This made me believe I had a flair for fashion design.

In 2005, my sister-in-law and I embarked on a small home-based business selling sarees. We revelled in the process - business was great, despite having no social media or a website. Our modus operandi  - invite people over to view our collection, hold small exhibits in apartment complexes, word of mouth, helped us grow. I would take specially curated sarees to the US and hold small exhibitions there. We cherished our journey at Adi Designs. Travelling to different places, interacting with weavers and aggregators, learning about fabrics and weaving techniques was the most enjoyable aspect of our venture.

In 2006, both of us launched Adi Naturals, one of the first Organic Food businesses in Bangalore and ran it for almost 10 years. It was an incredibly fulfilling period loaded with valuable learnings and experiences as an entrepreneur. Adi Naturals (under new ownership) is now a major brand, still with our original logo and tagline "Bringing Nature back into our lives". Very proud and humbled indeed!

As I think back to those early days, I realise we embraced slow fashion - shopping for cotton fabric, designing our own clothes and entrusting them to my favourite tailor. Little did I foresee that my passion for textiles would lead me to become a repeat entrepreneur, collaborating with weavers and organisations that produced sustainable fabrics across India.

I’m setting clear intentions and goals to continue my journey and pursue my passion for textiles. My focus is to collaborate with weaver clusters and community-based tailoring initiatives led by women to create sustainable and long-lasting natural fibres and soft cotton sourced from various regions of India.

This time, my entrepreneurial journey is guided by a self-driven, inspiring, and motivating mentor and business coach Harvi Shah. I’m working on my mindset to overcome obstacles and gain a deeper understanding of the business world. By taking decisive actions, I’m determined to achieve my targets for 2026.