Karthik Narayan, a medical doctor trained in geriatrics, started Athulya Senior Care in 2017. He finished a business course in the US, lived there for 10 years, and worked in a hospital’s geriatrics department before returning to Chennai. A noble cause Karthik’s main reason for relocating back to India was to start a professional geriatric […]
Maternity wear isn’t just for new mothers; it’s for mothers who want to stay comfortable in their clothes years after giving birth. Abirami Kalyan, the founder of Momzcradle, talks about her journey, building her brand, and the ups and downs of it all. Made for mothers, by a mother In 2010, when Abirami was pregnant […]
Pollachi in Tamil Nadu is known for the sweetest tender coconut water in India. The produce is exported to countries far and wide, as are the byproducts of tender coconuts. The coconuts are known for their high water content (350-700 ml/ nut), large sizes and rich nutrients. Realising the potential and capitalising on his roots […]
BodhBridge is a Chennai-based education and training institute which empowers school and college students through their journey to employment. Their products are innovative and available to students from class 9 through graduation and beyond. Founded in 2008 by a group of like-minded IIT graduates, BodhBridge’s goal is to bring quality education to India’s youth regardless […]
Rajeswari Ravi, the founder of Studio Cadambari, is an architect, turned academician, turned entrepreneur. She launched the brand on 8th March, 2024, to commemorate Women’s Day. She, along with her team, recycles scrap fabrics and transforms them into products for everyday use. A thread of an idea Rajeswari was an architectural educator for over 15 […]
Atulya is a design studio set up by three mothers to encourage their kids’ creativity. The three designers create calendars, paper products, wooden home decor, and tote bags, to name a few. When inspiration strikes We got to talk to Rashmi, one of the three mothers who founded the brand, the other two being Sridevi […]
When you think of skincare today, the words ‘niacinamide’ and ‘peptides’ tend to be the most common. But what about neroli, kokum, or mango? Deepika Nagasamy wants to use her brand Dipsy to refocus consumers towards Indian ingredients in the beauty sector. A dollop of an idea Launched in November of 2025, Dipsy by Deepika […]
Aamena Millwala started tinkering around with stained glass as a hobby. Friends and family members’ interests were piqued. She started to customise them, gradually taking orders, and the rest is history. Glassy-eyed beginnings Aamena started Studio A 12 years ago, converting her balcony into a small home studio, once word spread about her work. “Stained […]
Extreme hunger pangs hit you. You’d do anything for some good, wholesome food. Actually, forget wholesome, you’d kill for any food. That’s what ‘Kolapasi’ translates to in Tamil—that feeling where you’d do anything to feed your hunger. Santhosh Muruganantham came up with the idea for a chefless, quick-service, global restaurant chain in 2013, serving hot, […]
Maria Niveditha, the founder of Zhalkesi, started the brand as a way of staying rooted to her Tamil heritage while channelling her passion for art. Now, the brand is synonymous with traditional Tamil motifs translated into wearable art. Not just clay-ing around Maria worked in IT for five years as a Data Engineer, but eventually, […]
Prasanna Vasanadu started Tikitoro out of a personal need. She was on the hunt for personal care products for her 5-year-old son, but found only two extremes: the ‘fully safe’ products were not effective, or the ‘effective’ products were not fully safe. She sought to solve this gap in the market by herself and built […]
Tulika’s logo, Kaka the crow, a busy, intelligent bird that is an unmissable part of the sights and sounds of India. The word Tulika means the old-fashioned feather quill, dipping into stories old and new to give children a sense of their world. Busy beginnings When Radhika Menon, Founder and Managing Editor, started Tulika in […]
The smell of freshly baked loaves of bread wafts through as you open the doors to the store. Classic buttercream cakes, puffs, and biscuits on display have you salivating. You can’t help but smile and pick up a piece of nostalgia. Read all about the iconic Chennai landmark, Adyar Bakery! Rise and shine The name […]
Two sisters, Kasturi, an auditor, and Lakshmi, a graphic designer, started Madras Design Story as a way to channel their passion for art into something tangible. What began as an ode to their Karaikudi roots evolved into a store that designs all things Tamil. Two sisters, one dream Kasturi Ramanathan, co-founder of Madras Design Story, […]
Four friends, one dream. That’s how Food Maveriks began, intending to be one of India’s largest R&D-first food technology companies. Saijo John, co-founder, talked to us about the challenges, background, and goals of the company. Mavericks in the field Food Maverik Labs is a food technology company, innovating, formulating, and licensing food and beverages, nutraceuticals, […]
Trends may come and go, but Naturals Salon is here to stay. 2025 marks the 25th year since Veena Kumaravel and her husband started one of India’s largest salon chains, with over 900 branches operating across the country. What started as a team of 10 has grown into over 12,000 today. The natural first step […]
Vanipriya Jayaraman, formerly a Chief Technology Officer, reflects on her transition into building Aarla, a culturally-rooted creative brand. What began as a deliberate return to consistent art practice during her second pregnancy gradually evolved into a brand built with intention and care. Necessity: the mother of creativity “When I started Aarla, it was simply to […]
Chennai-based Darshitam began as a small effort to offer people eco-friendly, beautiful home essentials and utilities. Curating and sourcing the highest quality bed linens, towels, and clothing from across India, Sarenya Dhevi’s Darshitam aims to gently nudge people towards a sustainable future rooted in heritage. Backed by eye-opening research A four-person team handles everything at […]
“Rice represents the earth’s endless generosity,” said a wise soul. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors discovered rice stalks growing wild alongside rivers and in foothills. They learnt to grow rice, enjoy it, and benefit from it for hundreds of years. However, the glory began to fade when these tiny white grains emerged polished post […]
Legend has it that the Chinese Empress Leizu was sitting in the shade of a mulberry tree when she saw a little cocoon fall into her cup of hot tea. As she picked it up, she noticed that it unravelled into a fine thread. She unwound the string and was intrigued by how long and […]
Hindustan Trading Company (HTC) has been a part of the cityscape long before Madras became Chennai. The rather mercantile name doesn’t disclose the veritable art treasures it holds. Artists great and small, established and fledgling, have always approached HTC with hope, reverence, and anticipation. The shelves are stacked with virtually everything an artist could dream […]
Sundari Silks: a trusted name for silk sarees and a landmark in Chennai. Started by K. Rajaram, it now has Manmohan and his brother Shankar Raman at the helm. As difficult as it is to establish a brand, it is as difficult to maintain its position at the forefront. Talking to us is Manmohan Ram, […]
Chennai-based NGO Nizhal was founded in September 2005, when a small group of tree lovers came together to make a difference in Chennai by working with communities toward sensitive greening practices. Branching into care With Nizhal, Shobha, and her team set out to heal both lands and minds. In busy cities and fast-paced lives, minds […]
Shobha Viswanath, co-founder of Karadi Tales, has built one of India’s most beloved children’s publishing houses. Almost 30 years and 350 books later, the company remains just as warm and nostalgic as it was in 1996. Dreams of inclusivity Books sold along with audiobooks in the form of cassettes and CDs, tidily packed into a […]
Being a pet parent is a lifestyle that more people are leaning towards today. Pets of Paradise is a Chennai-based brand that sells healthy, gourmet-style food for your fur babies, improving pet health one day at a time! Building a brand, one paw at a time We got to sit down with Hari Shankar, one […]
A profound love for their hometown, Kanyakumari, led three friends to start Purely South in 2023. Selling premium, locally sourced, familiar, but elevated products from baby food to natural sweetener powders, the brand looks to position itself as a high-end, one-stop shop for parents. Purely South’s origin story Jester Thomas used to be a full-time […]
Gentle on the skin, better for the environment. That is Idham’s philosophy. Akin to the Tamil meaning of Idham—soothing, calm, and comforting, much like nature. Mindfully handcrafting small batches of skincare, Bharathi Aravind has formulated products that soothe, nourish, and balance your skin, fortified by the goodness of nature. Healing as a calling Bharathi Aravind […]
Feeling playful and want to experiment with cooking something other than your usual vegetables? Try Green Goblin, one of Chennai’s first exotic produce stores, selling things you might not even have heard of! With a variety of fascinating ingredients, this store is just what you need to level up your meals. Sticking out like a […]
You’ve heard the phrase: trust your gut. How are you going to trust it when you don’t take care of it? More often than not, people tend to ignore their gut health. Abha Appasamy strives to help people take charge of their health and make a positive change. How care turned into a passion Abha […]
Ardor Biomed, founded by Vivekanand Kamaraj, is a Pollachi based company that uses mature coconut water to produce wound and skin care products. This waste to wealth enterprise has been duly recognized and awarded by none other than the Honorable President of India Droupadi Murmu. Kalpavriksha, the Coconut Tree People debate on the ubiquitous coconut […]
A thread of an idea Sannjana started Vaagai in 2023 with a simple thought: people shouldn’t worry about the technicalities of saree draping; they should be able to wear a saree with ease when they want. The idea of Vaagai stemmed from her not being able to drape a saree at her own wedding. She […]
Kathiresan, co-founder of EVtron, talked to us in an insightful interview about electric vehicles, where the industry is going, and how the company strives to influence people to make the switch to EVs. A Spark of an Idea Co founders Kathiresan, Mani, Manickam and Sabarinath The founders of EVtron started the company with a mission: […]
The Kraft Faktor is a brand that promotes the art of crafting as a means to thoughtful, slow living. Deepa Sam and Nabeela Rahman’s goal is to encourage more adults to take up crafting as a practice in their day to day, a simple escape from the rat race of everyday life. Crafting with care […]
Vinod Gopal, the founder of Red Chariots, spoke candidly with us about his journey, company origins, and his generational love for advertising. He established Red Chariots in 2009 and has taken it upon himself to capitalise on the ‘happiness industry’ as he calls it. Crafting spectacles Vinod introduces himself as a ‘second-generation event manager’ and […]
The Golden Wrap is a gifting company born out of Sapna Koshy’s passion for creativity. Founded in 2012, the brand has become a go-to choice for corporate, wedding, and celebration gifts. Sapna began as a ‘one-man army’ and has now grown the company to a team of seven. The art of gifting memories After the […]
For Hari Janarthanan, the dream began as a child playing with ‘helicopter seeds’ on his family’s farm. The toy plastic planes were endless wonders to the little boy, who was determined to do something meaningful with his fascination for these ‘flying things’. And he did. Birdscale is a deep-tech start up that integrates drones, robots, […]
Tirunelveli-based No Na Me creates androgynous, modular, statement jewellery that celebrates individuality. With bold, gender-neutral designs, the brand aims to push the boundaries of wearable art, offering minimal yet timeless pieces. A vision for all ages Smruti Mathisekaran, the founder of No Na Mé, had always wanted to start a brand of her own. Initially […]
‘Know your food’ is the promise DailyGurus makes and keeps, day after day, pack after pack. By bringing fresh produce from farm to kitchen, this company endeavors to cut out middlemen between the farm gate and the marketplace, and empower rural women. The two founders live 9000 miles apart but work as one, in their […]
Sowmya’s dream is to make amigurumi a household word. Read about how she’s bringing crochet into everyday life and giving employment to homemakers, skein by skein. A hobby that pulled the strings Some journeys begin quietly, with little more than curiosity and a pair of hands eager to try something new. For Sowmya Varadan, that […]
Naveen and Dinesh are on a mission to revive the rich flavours of Anglo-Indian cuisine with their innovative condiment, Devil’s Chutney! 🌶️ Read more about the creation of this versatile sauce – a game-changer for foodies looking to spice up their meals. How Anglo Aunty’s Kitchen simmered to life What started as a passion project […]
Karthick Shanmuga Sundaram, the founder of Gusteau Foods, talks about his entry into the food industry and supplying to the B2B sector. Calling his B2B venture a ‘COVID start-up’, Karthick explains how he switched careers from a corporate R&D job to establishing Gusteau Foods. He holds an MTech in Packaging Technology from the Indian Institute […]
The spark behind The Wedding Experience Charannya Seetharam is a dentist-turned-wedding planner, making the leap from being in the medical field to planning events out of sheer passion. She had the opportunity to plan an important event before even starting the brand: her own wedding! “I decided to plan my wedding on my own, because […]
Lammy, as Lamuel Raj is known professionally and by his friends, is watching his dreams turn real with as much gratitude as with anticipation. A drop out from Fashion tech, Lammy found himself gravitating towards hair and makeup. Then makeup took a backseat, while Lammy stepped into the world of hair dressing. Today, he is […]
The necklaces and chains are made of colorful beads and laid out neatly on white pieces of cloth. In the shade of a banyan tree or the pavement of a bus stand or on the temple steps, the Narikuravars sell their wares. Often ignored, many a time swatted away in annoyance, and sometimes avoided, this […]
A mother-daughter duo stands out In 2019, Jayadevi Cholayil decided to sell mangoes from their 81-acre farm in Vengal near Red Hills. The main idea was to prevent waste. Her daughter, Susmera Cholayil, gave a helping hand at the shop in Anna Nagar, Chennai. What began as a small shop is now a daily fresh […]
In a world of 10-step skincare routines, cosmetic additives claiming to cure a problem overnight, and aggressive sustainability marketing campaigns, Terasu invites you to slow down, no matter how hard it may seem. Anusha Santosh believes that skincare should be simple, whether it’s the usage or the components that go into it. Terasu was launched […]
The desire to give back to his community, paired with a dream to be different, led Sadhak Thaika to start his unique food company, HandS Agro—a coconut-based brand, born in the coastal town of Kilakarai, where water is scarce, but nature is bountiful. He set out to create products that met the needs of the […]
High blood sugar can cause severe nerve damage, otherwise known as neuropathy, leaving the feet vulnerable to foot injury, slowing down healing, and leading to infection. So, protecting feet becomes crucial. And working hard in that area is Dr. Brinsley, a diabetic footwear brand from Chennai, founded by Vidhan Bhaiya. Student turned entrepreneur For Vidhan, […]
Marutham Village Resorts, set amidst lush paddy fields and soothing greenery, lies about 5 kms from Mahabalipuram near Chennai. Created by architect couple Vadivelan and Priya, it attracts families and friends who would like to getaway to a quiet rural lifestyle. Interestingly, what we see as a resort today has evolved from the founders’ dream […]
A childhood diet of Discovery Channel’s Food Factories impressed an eight-year-old to such an extent that he began to dream, then worked towards the dream, and today has taken his first steps to live the dream. His own food factory. Despite an entrepreneur father and forefathers who owned and operated textile and spinning mills in […]
Siam Computing, founded and led by Khuze Siam, is using AI-driven technology to ease and enrich the lives of the four Ps in healthcare – patients, providers, pharma companies and payers. Siam Computing’s responsiveness to market changes and its ability to build capacity is impressive, given that Khuze had a humble beginning churning out e-commerce […]
In 2015, as Chennai was drowning in the chaos of one of its worst floods, Kumar Loganathan stood in disbelief – not because of the water, but because of the irony. “There was water everywhere,” he recalls, “and yet people couldn’t drink a single drop.” That visual haunted him for years and eventually became the […]
Solinas Integrity, founded by Divanshu Kumar and Moinak Banerjee, has been working tirelessly to inspect, maintain and digitise underground assets such as water & sewer pipelines, septic tanks and other hidden infrastructure, using state-of-the-art technology. We bring their story to light. While most of us don’t spare a thought to the world under our feet, […]
“When 108 kids signed up for my workshop, I was overwhelmed,” Jagadeesh Kanna smiles, recalling that moment of unexpected success. “I only had a box of paper planes and stories. There was no big budget or fancy tools – just passion and an idea that science can be fun and magical.” This unassuming beginning in […]
In 2022, four friends from SRM – Sudharsan V, Raghul Jagannathan, Godwin Immanuel, and Saiganesh V decided to fix what biotech education kept getting wrong. They set out to build something that didn’t exist yet – a proper college for biosciences that actually helped students build a career. By 2023, they had raised ₹1.5 crore […]
Biting the Bullet Bhargav Sundaram had always dreamt of a career in motorcycles. As the grandson of K.R. Sundaram Iyer, one of the visionaries who floated Enfield India Ltd, it’s not surprising! Bhargav grew up test-riding Enfield bikes, including the iconic Bullet, checking for acceleration, mileage, braking and stability until circumstances changed, and Enfield was […]
Infusing Nostalgia into Chocolate When Dr. Arun Viswanathan talks about chocolate, it’s clear that he’s not talking about cliched bars. For him, it’s about memories, textures and feelings. “Chocolate,” he says, “can carry stories. You just have to let it speak. One bite of a Chitra’m bar can take you back to a festival from […]
Rooted in Words Sangeetha’s love for the spoken word runs deep. Even as she built her career across different industries, she kept coming back to one concept: stories shape how we see the world – and ourselves. “There’s something magical about audio,” she says, smiling. “It’s intimate. It feels like someone is sitting right next […]
The Weft and the Warp Mirnalini had a wire chair made to replicate the one in her family’s childhood photos on which she, her sister and each of her 6 cousins had posed individually as babies. This time she wanted her own baby to be seated on it for a picture, to continue the tradition. […]
A Hobby That Became a Calling “I used to watch baking shows on TLC, and I was amazed at how simple ingredients could turn into something so wonderful,” Mridula Ganesan recalls. At the time, baking was just a fun weekend activity – something she enjoyed alongside her studies in textile design. It wasn’t until friends […]
Secondary-Care Hospitals for Underserved Peri-Urban Areas Dr.C.J.Vetrievel pioneered the 50 bed hospital chain concept by starting Be Well Hospitals in 2011. Be Well Hospitals today has 12 multispecialty units, one for each year of existence, and the network is growing. The chain has been very focused on serving peri-urban areas and small towns in Tamil […]
Taking the Field Keerthana and Harini’s clinic, Performance Doctor in Velachery, offers athletes and performers a host of services to help rehabilitate from injuries and trauma. The duos dream project, though inaugurated recently in 2024, has been over 10 years in the making! Performance Doctor offers prehab services, which they consider the most important part […]
From Timber to Tropical Flavours Harris and Salim came from families that were deeply rooted in the timber and plywood business. “It would have been the easiest thing to just follow what our families were doing,” Harris recalls. “In fact we did that but then monotony set in and we wanted to create something different, […]
Call of the Mountains “We didn’t set out to start an enterprise. The Good Doll was accidental,” confesses Suhas Ramegowda, cofounder of this conscious business. “Seven years ago, we quit our city jobs and headed to the Nilgiris to get away from limiting societal and administration structures. We chose to build our dream home on […]
Senthilnathan C and Subhatra Priyadarshini are welcoming young and old alike to try their hand at puzzles, board games and art & craft in Chennai. Untangle, as their house of puzzles is called, encourages enquiring minds and provides them the right ambience to solve, play and learn. Untangle opened to a full house in Feb […]
‘Pioneering sustainable living choices by connecting communities and markets’. That’s the mission of Last Forest as they work with the Adivasi communities in the Nilgiris to help process, brand and market their produce of wild honey, essential oils, and beeswax products. This is a heart warming story of three friends from the social impact space […]
“Why not create a product that celebrates all skin tones, for women and men?” It was this simple, yet egalatarian idea that sparked the birth of Ishwaryam Goodness. Founders Yamini and Madhu, childhood friends turned entrepreneurs, converted their shared frustrations with societal beauty standards into a thriving skincare brand. From Small Talk to Big Impact […]
Anand Rajarathinam’s thirst to understand Thanjavur temple history started as a simple quest and resulted in him curating historical, cultural and ecological tours with his team, through Heritage Inspired. These tours give us a glimpse of ancient kingdoms, practices and insights into age-old wisdom. Their academy, Sangakoodam offers Deep Immersion sessions by scholars in epigraphy, […]
Sridhar Lakshmanan, is the founder of ecoLogin, a company that strives to work with and for tribal and marginalized communities in Tamil Nadu and the northeastern states of Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Assam. It’s difficult to pin down one product or service that ecoLogin offers, because as Sridhar puts it, it’s about the people, not the […]
Ann Alexia Anra sees potential where others saw waste mounds. ‘Wasted 360 Solutions’, hidden just a few minutes from the hustle and bustle of Pondy Bazaar, is quietly flipping the script, by creating a holistic waste management program. What started as a collection centre and thrift store, is now anchoring a movement, supporting communities and changing […]
It’s wild what can happen when you’re held up at home with a kitchen full of ingredients and way too much time on your hands. For Harshaa Jain, what started as a little lockdown boredom quickly spiralled into a full-on chocolate obsession. Fast forward a few months, and that casual experiment turned into Cavasa Chocolates […]
“The idea of working for someone else never sat well with me. I wanted to be the one making decisions, creating jobs, and inspiring others through my journey,” says Bharathi Priya, founder of Bibha Crochet, describing her evolution from uncertainty to entrepreneurship. This is the story of a lively, creative young woman, from Coimbatore who […]
Herding for a green economy Kabilan, the award-winning founder of Thozhuvam in Madurai, is working ceaselessly to restore the ‘Geedhari’ or pastoral community of Tamil Nadu to its respectful place while helping generate new sources of income for them. Picture this. A herd of about 200 cows are crossing a major highway deep in the […]
Kaelir is where fashion meets eco consciousness, where passion to make a difference meets cool, where fiber from the discarded banana tree is transformed into clothes, home furnishings, and even sanitary pads. “Yaadhum oore yaavarm kaelir” wrote a poet two millennia ago. Among those that have taken it to heart and walk the talk is […]
“Imagine balancing a coconut on a stick while dancing around a circle, trying not to drop it!” This playful story is just one of many that inspired Vinita Sidhartha to create Kreeda. Reviving Traditional Gaming Skills “It wasn’t easy convincing people that traditional games could still be relevant in today’s digital age,” smiles Vinita Sidhartha, […]
Jennith Churchill, the founder of Comorin Coconuts has come a long way from fielding questions like “You expect me to pay so much for a coconut shell?!” to making Kanyakumari proud of its stylish homegrown brand of elegant lifestyle products. It all started when Jennith returned to his roots in Kanyakumari, breaking free from […]
“We don’t cut corners,” says Arun Kumar Vishveshwaran, the founder of the BOCS Pizza chain, that serves square and rectangular pizzas. Walk into any of their franchisee outlets in South India and you’ll get 22% more pizza than a round one. No matter how fast paced the world gets or how data-driven we are today, […]
Fashion designer Preethi’s romance with the fabric has brought to life au Linen, a fresh brand that embodies the essence of a coastal lifestyle. “I fell in love with linen while working on a spring-summer collection for a global brand,” confesses Preethi. Her very personal connection with the fabric is obvious as she enthuses, “Linen […]
This is the story of how Dr. Mangala Vadivu, a Chennai-based academic with a PhD in media studies and head of a visual communications department, turned her quest for safe skincare for her newborn daughter into Thaarinya brand blending safety, tradition, and personal care into a blossoming startup. The Birth Of Thaariniya Dr. Mangala Vadivu […]
Four committed founders with one common purpose – to offer tasty, cafe-style beverages to grab and go. With new brands in the fresh foods category sprouting almost everyday, it takes a lot more than just resolve to hold one’s own in such a competitive market. Presenting Frelish, a brand that has not one, or two, […]
A gritty tale of how a failing student from a penurious background found a toehold in the business world, delivering health benefits of local, indigenous greens in convenient powder packs. Here’s a heartwarming story of a food-related startup, Iniya Organics, inspired by a kindergarten experience! When Vengarai Periyasamy Sudha joined as a teacher to work […]
Artisanal chocolates for the conscious consumer from a Chennai business founded by an engineer Archana Vijayaraman, whose vision is to put Indian cacao on the world map Some brand names just steal your heart and Thy Chocolates did just that for us. We wonder if the name’s derived from Theobroma, the cacao tree. Not so […]
Plantegg is a vegan food product created by Harini Rangarajan, a food technologist, after extensive research. This protein supplement in the familiar form of an egg is garnering attention and awards for innovation Protein in a familiar form Plantegg is a vegan product that looks like an egg, tastes like an egg and is packed […]
Q49 Flavours, curated and managed by Renu Kurian from Chennai with ample support from her family, is a story of how a mother’s love has been packaged into convenience curries with the taste of home food. A boon for busy families looking for quick, nutritious meals. In-a-hurry Malabar Egg Curry, Easy-peasy Channa Masala and […]
Saravanakumaran from Miracletree is popularising the amazing properties of the humble Moringa, a tree common in south Indian states, through a range of diverse products. What does Sangam literature, an Engineer-agriculturist, and the moringa tree have in common? At first glance, nothing, methinks. Talking to Saravanakumaran Rajendran of Miracletree, it all fell into place. As […]
Presenting Juicy Chemistry, co-founded by the dynamic duo Pritesh and Megha Asher. They started by formulating soaps in a makeshift kitchen lab and went on to create certified products with the right market fit, attracting marquee investors. Purpose and perseverance We’ve covered over a hundred of stories of start ups and mid sized businesses and […]
Presenting two enterprises that draw attention to Nilgiri’s rich ecosystem – Madurai Eco Tourism focusing on biodiversity & native culture and Arola Bamboo promoting sustainability. Both ventures were founded by the indomitable Suthagar Selvaraj from Madurai. Story of a curious mind It was an especially hot day in the Nilgiris forest when Suthagar Selvaraj, […]
Meet Samuel Mathew of 7MPS working on research driven election campaigns for multiple parties in Tamil Nadu for the upcoming elections. Let’s start with the name With elections around the corner we caught up with a party-agnostic media house that works on election campaigns apart from brand-related work for products and services. The agency is […]
Just after she had delivered her baby in 2020, Deepika Thiyagarajan realised that there were not enough fashion choices for young mothers. This was a pain-point that irked her so much she convinced her husband, Thiyagarajan and together they started a brand focussing solely on maternity needs in their hometown, Coimbatore. They named it Putchi. […]
Sonali Kuruvilla and Preneetha Balachander have launched a fresh approach to cosmetics through Sommer Beauty. In a segment crowded with brands jostling for space and attention, they’ve introduced a fuss-free range especially curated for Indian skin tones. Just 8 months since its release, the brand is already garnering spots in reputed retail outlets. But the […]
A newly wed Krishnan Subramanian and his wife, Gowri, had just relocated from a small town near Madurai to Bangalore. “I had just started with Amazon and my wife was with IBM,” Krishnan recalls. “It wasn’t as though we had started seeking to be environmentally friendly then, but we could notice quite a few aspects […]
When she was around six years old, Radhika was playing outside and fell, hurting her leg. She limped home and everybody thought it was a regular wound that would cure and go away. Soon, the pain persisted and the parents brought her to the hospital where they found it was a bone fracture, and the […]
Scores of entrepreneurs set up stalls and do brisk business in pop-up events. But rarely does one make an instant connect with the founder, so much so you end up not only becoming a loyal customer but also see a potential friendship blooming. Well, this happened with Archana Ravi, the owner of Slowthreads, a […]
Chennai’s enduring love for vegetables and fruits is well-known. Though we love handpicking fresh produce, the city has gracefully embraced the shift toward online purchase in recent years. Madras Mandi has been harnessing this potential since 2020. Beyond delivering quality, the venture also seeks to reduce wastage in the fresh produce supply chain making the […]
Moving on from two successful businesses, Kadambari Umapathy is now spearheading the third one, Women’s Entrepreneurship Development Organisation (wedo.org.in). Her challenge-riddled story is the stuff of movies and the fact that she’s still so full of plans for her organisation and the empowerment of women, speaks volumes about her zest for action and never-say-die spirit. […]
Breaking into the retail visual merchandising scene in Tamil Nadu through their startup Imaginethat, duo Dhurgha and Ashok are channeling their creativity and overcoming challenges to grow at a steady clip. When it comes to fashion and style Tamil Nadu is seen as being conservative and lagging a step behind the rest. The popular perception […]
The chatter of excited women in their forties, fifties and some older, livened up this one salon in Alwarpet, as they went about getting their makeup and hair done. The scene reminded one of restless, eager children preparing for their school annual day celebrations. It came as a pleasant surprise that they were dressing up […]
“I asked a group of school children where their source of drinking water was. Many responded with answers like, “our RO machine,” and “the water tanker,” and so on. Not one could name the lake or river from which their water was captured. I was not shocked, but very disappointed that these children have absolutely […]
Nithila Arun of The Madras Trunk has managed to redesign the classic to create a vibrant range of kolhapuris, attracting reapeat buyers from all over the country. Kolhapuris. They were a rage in the 80s when coolly casual folks paired them with blue jeans and a breezy kurta while extolling Satyajit Ray’s genius. Cut to […]
