Dr. Karishma Shah, a dedicated nutrition consultant, is on a journey to revolutionise the way we approach health and well-being. Born and raised in Mumbai, India, she hails from a culturally diverse background, belonging to a Gujarati Jain family with roots in Punjabi traditions. 

Completing more than 8 years in Nutrition Consultancy and Health, Dr. Karishma has built a brand which believes in holistic development and well-being of the people. Through this great opportunity to interview her, we got some insiders into her journey, the daily highs and lows, and her approach to health and well being. 

Early Life: Turns & Twists

Dr. Karishma Shah, initially a science student, shifted to management studies in her undergraduate. However, soon after, she made the decision to return to the field of science, pursuing a Master’s in Nutrition and Dietetics along with postgraduate diplomas in Clinical Nutrition, Weight Management, Diabetes Management and Counseling Psychology. 

This shift in focus was influenced by a significant family history of diabetes, going from her great-grandparents to her own parents, uncles and aunts. She had witnessed her family struggle with the challenges of diabetes and the constant battle with medications and fatigue. A personal tragedy struck when she lost her aunt due to complications from diabetes, which made her realise that she wanted to break this cycle and make a positive impact on the lives of others. 

Key Learnings and Lessons from Her Practices

After completing several of her certificate courses, Karishma had the opportunity to work closely with two doctors before she started her own practice – one with a prominent doctor in diabetes and another with an Endocrinologist.

One of the fundamental lessons she gained from her experiences was the importance of addressing the root cause of health issues. For newly diagnosed individuals, she observed that medication alone was not a comprehensive remedy. Instead, incorporating changes in nutrition, lifestyle, mental practices, and spiritual well-being led to significantly better outcomes, often reducing the dependency on medications.

This is how she also noticed why all her family members had so easily become diabetic – the trend of indulging in large carbohydrate-rich meals without prioritising physical exercise. She realised that diabetes then is not a genetic disease, but a food and lifestyle disease. 

Factors such as travel schedules, excessive use of social media, and consumption of junk food inadvertently affect our physical and mental health. To counteract these influences, she advocates for a mindful approach, encouraging individuals to slow down, pay attention to themselves, and embrace positive changes. 

Dr. Karishma Shah: “Food Issues Don’t Exist in Vacuum” -Understanding Mental Health and Well-Being

We had a fruitful discussion on mental health and wellbeing with Dr. Karishma Shah. According to her, mental health remains largely taboo, whose conversations gain traction only on social media. There is a lack of mental health practice on the larger ground. Making people comprehend that their dietary challenges are intertwined with mental health helps them overcome their shortcomings from the very root.

To illustrate this, Dr. Shah shared an example of a teenage girl experiencing hair loss, weight gain, and irregular periods. Rather than simply addressing the physical symptoms, she delved deeper to uncover underlying emotional traumas affecting the individual’s eating habits and exercise routine. Once she understood the root cause of what influenced her relationship with food, most of which stemmed from her past emotional traumas, she was able to help the girl in a more nuanced way. Dr. Shah strongly believes that understanding the mind is crucial, as many diseases, including thyroid issues, hypertension, and diabetes, often manifest from mental and emotional states.

Coupled with this is what Karishma calls the ‘well being’ of individuals, which, according to her, is the inner divine light of people, called the ‘Ojus’. Dr. Shah rightly says that while all of us are constantly working on beautifying our external selves, we often forget that the best of our physical self is the reflection of a healthy inner self. A healthy inner self comes through self-care, empathy, self-worth, self-esteem and self-content. We should be obsessed with becoming better versions of ourselves and carry that positive aura and energy to other people. 

This is something Dr. Karishma Shah herself follows closely. She shares how she enjoys spending time alone by herself. Reading, listening to music or introspecting, helps her clean off her depleted energy and infuse it with refreshed energies. Looking after people with serious food and mental health problems comes with responsibilities which, in due course, gets her overwhelmed, strained and tired. Only when her inner light is bright enough, can she extend the guiding hand and support to her clients. Channeling her empathetic, intuitive, and compassionate self, Dr. Karishma calls herself a natural healer.

Dr. Karishma Shah’s Message of Transformation and Empowerment

For Dr. Karishma Shah, a nutritionist’s job is to make a genuine difference in people’s lives. She encourages aspiring professionals to keep learning more and more and meet and talk with as many people as possible. This is the reason why she did her first 100 consultations for free so that she could meet people and truly understand their problems. Unless and until you don’t apply practical knowledge to your learnings, you can’t empathise with people, and will always lack in alleviating their distress. Real transformation comes from understanding and addressing the intricate connections between physical, mental and emotional well-being. Ultimately, she believes that by empowering ourselves and others, we can create a ripple effect of positive change and build a happier, healthier society.

Lastly, Karishma also says that it’s never too late to go after your dreams. It is indeed a blessing to find something that completely resonates with you. So shut down people’s negative warnings, and no matter what age or time, go and take that journey. Do not let your potential go down the drain, because this potential would not only rock your soul but could also bring gains to other people around you. 

Oh to be a woman!

Being a woman is a journey unto itself, with its joys, hardships and rewards. It’s deeply personal and somehow fiercely unifying. We can’t help but wonder whether we really need to circle a special day in the calendar to celebrate all women when logic dictates that we should be doing that everyday— without exceptions. But what this day represents most strongly is hope, a bridge. It’s a testament to all the women before us and a promise to those after us. It’s a vision of a day in the near future where respect and opportunity are so generously given to all women everywhere that we won’t need a day like this anymore.

But until then, let’s take a minute and learn about one of these incredible women who are heralding us into a better future, Midhula Devabhaktuni.

I’d like you to picture a young girl in the beautiful river city of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. Growing up with a younger sister and brother, she imbibed the values of entrepreneurship very early on from her father, who instilled deeply in her the importance of carving your own destiny equally in her and her siblings. At the age of 2, she started going next door to learn classical dancing after being enamoured with it & picked up Sulman Rushdie in 6th class. And by 8th standard, she had an X-ray like clarity on her future. Which took her from a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University to a Master’s in Computer Science from Florida State University (and an MBA too!). Not to forget the dance diploma as well.

Today she, along with her loving husband is the co-founder and chief marketing officer of Mivi-one of India’s most beloved homegrown electronics brands.

On Passion

Passion is central to Midhula’s exceptional journey. In India, engineering courses are considered the most obvious thing to do until challenged. This has led to a culture where many kids get into it without a real love for it. Midhula on the other hand has always been obsessed with innovations in computer science and thrives on the challenge that coding poses. She knew very early on that she wanted to bring her own solutions to the table by becoming an entrepreneur (a love shared by her husband as well). After several stable & well-paying jobs in the United States of America, they took a calculated risk of filling the gap of high-quality electronics in India. 8 months of R&D later, Mivi was launched. She says, “if you’re not passionate about your business and how you solve a problem in the market then don’t do it”. Even though there might be thousands of other competitors, they shouldn’t be the reason why you enter the business. It should all come from within you.

For youngsters trying to discover their passions, Midhula very wisely advises, “you don’t need to be passionate about everything, just always be willing to learn and absorb as much as you can from all different domains. And soon, you’ll find your ‘own’ areas.”

A look into her personal life

It’s with this exact fervour that she also parents two toddlers under the age of 3. Motherhood like everything is a learning process and through time she has learnt the valuable lesson of being open to help. Willingness to seek help is a very underrated and dare I say, underappreciated trait in modern times. This is why Midhula detests the image of a ‘supermom’. It shouldn’t be expected of a mother to be an innate supernatural multi-tasking machine when the same is not expected from both the parents.

Her call-to-action to young parents is to raise a generation that learns the concept of respect, unity and kindness early on. “It will only take one generation to raise people who all know how to respect and encourage women” she posits. Which is where her love for reading comes in. Reading can give you the exposure and the wonderful gift of seeing the world from the window of another’s mind. Always up for a challenge, the top item on her bucket list is to keep improving at negotiating and sales skills as well as to master the Hindi language.

Before we go!

Her message to all young women out there is to follow your heart always and never look for validation outside of yourself. Filter every decision through the ‘inner you’. For all young hopeful entrepreneurs, her number one tip is to learn to be “patient and consistent. Value people and give them time, results will surely come later”

Once again, wishing all our dear readers a very happy International Women’s Day!

Listen to the full Podcast by Tunvey Gogia!

The world has changed greatly. Disruption, be it social, cultural or economic, lays the foundational stones for emergent ideas and innovative strategies. In the aftermath of the pandemic, this becomes especially relevant when it comes to navigating the markedly different work environments we find ourselves in. The manner in which corporate organizations, from established multinationals to growing startups, have adapted to the changing circumstances is a testament to the ability of the human spirit to face and overcome any challenge that is thrown its way. At a time, where distance is becoming increasingly important, the digital connection has managed to bring us closer than ever.

Consequently, when it comes to growing organizations or budding entrepreneurs, the need for a structured digital outreach programme, under the current circumstances, is paramount. And, if you read on, you would understand the manner in which individuals, such as Stuti Srivastava, are helping people navigate the limbo that comes before having an established digital presence. 

With over a decade’s worth of professional experience, Stuti Srivastava has had an interesting journey, to say the least. From sharing her own experiences in tackling challenges in a dynamic work environment to helping others understand the intricacies of navigating the digital space, Srivastava has been doing this much longer than you or me.

Born in Patna, Srivastava had the opportunity to acquaint herself with different cultural values and beliefs from a very early age. Coming from a family of teachers, Srivastava recalls a natural affinity towards History, with all the stories and discussions during family gatherings instilling a natural curiosity in her from a very young age. Even today, when she travels, especially in India, Srivastava feels a certain sense of familiarity with the places she visits, on account of all the stories she has heard about them.

When starting out in her career, in the hospitality field, Srivastava states her first experience with a work environment was extremely organized and structured. Working in a larger corporate organization, Srivastava explains, comes with the benefit of having a standard of procedure when it comes to problem resolution. There are guidelines one must follow. That, however, does not imply that there is no space for creative problem-solving. It merely means that there is an established way of doing things. 

On the other side of things, when she did make the shift to a more dynamic work environment, Srivastava realised that there are a whole host of other responsibilities that are expected to be shouldered by an employee. Often, an individual, working in a start-up organization, is expected to be able to handle multiple fronts with relatively little support. This is especially true for a rapidly evolving field such as Digital Marketing.

And, while all of the added responsibilities may seem like a daunting challenge to most, Srivastava explicitly states that these added challenges are what fosters growth and innovation. From her own professional experience, Srivastava has taken bits and pieces from her mistakes and managed to grow as an individual.

This sentiment that Srivastava expresses is extremely important to adopt, especially considering the circumstances we live in now. Covid-19 has forced such a rapid shift in work culture and environment that individual navigation of issues has become critical.

Speaking of the new normal we live in, Srivastava, too, recognizes the manner in which Covid-19 has affected working professionals and organizations. With increasing importance given to work efficiency and the urgency to navigate relatively new ways of doing things, especially in start-up environments, Srivastava states that there is a growing need to understand the magnitude of the digital resources that are available. As stated earlier, having a digital outreach and being able to connect with the respective clientele is something that is critical. This is something that Srivastava is deeply passionate about and excels in, wishing nothing but to help others navigate this space. 

That’s not all that Srivastava has an insight on, however. When we talk about the need for the inclusion of mental health awareness and issues related to women in workplaces, Srivastava brings up some incredibly structured resolutory points. This is where the previously mentioned dynamic problem-solving skills come in. Amidst some of the examples she states, Srivastava touches on the need for a general strengthening of Human Resource guidelines and the creation of policies that allow for greater retention of female employees.

When you really get to examine the points that Srivastava puts forward, you get the idea of the kind of individual she truly is. Just recently, Srivastava became a mother. Amidst all the chaos of Covid-19 and the responsibility that comes with raising a child with one’s partner, Srivastava has not faltered once. That’s not something she would admit to, however. After all, Stuti Srivastava is constantly looking to grow, not just as an individual but also as a professional. And, to be frank, I think we could all do with taking a leaf out of her book.

Everyone has this one thing that they have always wanted to do, a skill they want to learn. Maybe a dance form like salsa, or writing or photography. Maybe learning to play the guitar like John Mayer or Arijit Singh. Just imagine, being able to strum strings like them as you sing heart-breaking romantic songs professing your love to someone.  Well then, Shubham Bansal is here to help you. Topbeat is one of the easiest ways to learn guitar. And they have already helped over a 1000 people learn this musical skill.

Born in Kota, Rajasthan, Bansal comes from a family of entrepreneurs. He completed his graduation from IIT Bombay with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 2012. But this didn’t happen without struggles. While he wasn’t able to clear the IIT entrance the first time, his hard work and determination gave results when he cleared it on his second attempt.

Bansal admits that leaving a well-paid job to follow his dreams was probably one of the most courageous things he’s ever done. But music and entrepreneurship are his passion as well as his motivation. And while he couldn’t have done it without the support of his wife and family, the leap of faith was worth it. His family also knows this as they support him without questioning his decisions.

But every journey has its own hurdles. Covid-19 lockdown certainly affected Bansal’s business negatively. One of their committed investors backed off and their revenue suddenly dropped to zero in the month of April. But everything happens for a reason and there’s always a solution. Once they started conducting live lessons, their business has been growing consistently. Without having to raise external capital, consistently and they have a positive cash flow.  

Bansal’s biggest inspiration is his father (so wholesome!). Though he does say it isn’t because he is Shubham’s father, but because he is a phenomenal businessman. Successfully navigating through all struggles, it’s the perseverance of his father that inspires him. One of his biggest inspirations apart from his own father is Steve Jobs. He admires Steve Jobs for the sheer disruption he brought to multiple industries.

When we talk about entrepreneurs, fundraising is a big task. Shubham while sharing his two cents on the topic, talks about two very important things that are demanded from a good entrepreneur. The conviction in one’s idea and the ability to accept a no. End of day, you have to remember that you don’t really need a hundred investors. All you need are 5 investors who believe in your vison. And this belief only stems out from confidence and belief in yourself.

Bansal has always had the touch of business within him. In fact, he had his first experience with entrepreneurship when he started selling stickers and mehndi books, or just chocolates at a very young age. But apart from business, music and reading also bring him joy. In fact, he’s composed a lot of songs and performed professionally too!

A firm believer of following your dreams and passions, Shubham Bansal reminds us before leaving, that no profession is unconventional. In the end, it’s about what you love and what you don’t.

You know life is short and there is no time to leave important words unsaid, that is what inspired our protagonist Kopal Khanna who runs a startup aiming at offering a platform to the storytellers of the country and the creative people who possess an immense talent of putting their heart out in thought-provoking words.

Speaking of her childhood she was born and raised in the royal city Lucknow and moved out for further undergraduate, she pursued B.A History from St.Stephens, Delhi University and proceeded to study MSc Global Media and Communications from London School of Economics; afterwards did MA in the same field from the University of Southern California.

Being an inquisitive individual, she liked to learn new things and formulate art in various forms. She possesses an interest in writing, filming, and reading, and started with Tape A Tale with an eye to living her dream of becoming an entrepreneur and offering a platform for interesting and inspiring stories for the world to listen.

It was lucky for her that poetry had been on a rise over the years, and she identified the opportunity at a great time to start off with this venture. She is inspired by Adam Braun who is an American entrepreneur that believes in providing access to education to the children in the developing countries. She is also a very big fan of the poems written by Harivansh Rai Bachchan.

She holds immense pleasure if she is able to contribute even a little in the betterment of any individual who needs help. She shared an emotional story where she describes the joy she received when she had a girl who shared her healing from depression through the stories and poems shared on Tape A Tale. She believes in those little moments that are memorable and heart-warming.

Discussing the future entrepreneurs, she feels everybody suffer through a different journey and not one formula can fit everyone, Although her advice remains the same for everyone where she advises not to take failure or success too seriously and have fun with whatever they are pursuing.