Hello!
Compassion for people, our environment, and seeking wisdom are the guiding values of my life and work. Read further to learn more.
I’m happy to connect on LinkedIn or via email.
More about me
Currently, I’m pursuing an MSc in Environmental Anthropology at University College London (UCL) to deepen my understanding of human-environment intersections and build qualitative and quantitative research skills.
My journey in the textile industry is deeply rooted in my paternal family’s history with cotton ginning mills and trading. For generations, we contributed to the textile supply chain, but the 1947 Panjab divide and displacement, followed by the Green Revolution, drastically altered that landscape, negatively impacting our business, as well as the physical and mental health and livelihoods of our entire Panjabi community. Despite these challenges, I have spent the last 15 years as an ethical textile and clothing designer and educator, built a triple bottom line practice that aims to positively impact people, the natural environment, and profits throughout the supply chain.
Along the journey so far, I’ve learned from a diverse array of people and fields: rural craft sector, liberal studies, creative and cultural business management, parents and other elders, industry veterans (scholars, artisans, designers, development sector leaders, businesspeople) NGOs, government bodies, and my students.
I believe that since evolution is inevitable, innovation is indispensable. By learning from the past and present, we can discern what to retain and what to change for the benefit of individuals, society, and the natural environment.
These principles shape both, my life and my work.
Testimonials
Journey So Far
My mission has been to not just design aesthetically pleasing products but also to continuously learn and share with others the socio-cultural and ecological implications of ethical sourcing and production. I have used my expertise to create high-quality products that showcase the beauty of Indian handicrafts while advocating for, and involving, socially and environmentally responsible practitioners.
In my career so far, I worked in design jobs, built Sedhantik and planned a Punjabi extension that has since been left on the back-burner, and instead engaged with design consulting, teaching and skill development projects realising that I am more passionate about research—driven by my curiosity and inquisitive nature—brand building, and advisory/education than retailing products or the administrative work of running a business. As I navigate my next steps, I am exploring opportunities for work that allow me to learn, grow and share.
Lifestyle Brands
In 2016, I began my independent design journey with Sedhantik. I stopped creating under that brand name due to reasons mentioned above. In 2022, at IIM Ahmedabad, I planned its transformation into 'Vehra Panjab Da' (Courtyard that is the Land of Five Rivers) but this finds a place now as my personal passion project stemming out of my curiosity to learn more about my homeland Panjab. I am going in as a seeker for wisdom from cultures that have called Panjab home and shaped its socio-cultural and natural environment over eons.
I urge you to glimpse into what Sedhantik was and the logo I made for Vehra (image below).