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Inspiring Women

Inspiring Women Every Wednesday: Nona Walia

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India’s Notable Personalities by BusinessTalkz Magazine in 2024 She is an active member of the National Council, WICCI Arts National Leadership Council (2024). As part of the Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nona leads initiatives empowering women in Arts and Literature, helping to shape a global ecosystem that fosters creativity and collaboration across stakeholders and government initiatives. WICCI is a prominent national body championing women’s growth in the arts. In 2024, she was recognized as one of India’s Notable Personalities by BusinessTalkz Magazine and awarded the Top Voice Badge for content development on LinkedIn. A former Executive Editor of Conscious Carma, India’s first global e-magazine focused on Sustainability and Responsibility, Nona editorially highlighted issues surrounding Wellness, Sustainability, and Mental Health. Her current research area includes Wellness at Workplaces — exploring how fostering healthy, supportive environments is key to future workplace success. Nona is also a motivational expert, helping people live their best lives. A certified Wellness Warrior and blogger, she shares insights on health, well-being, and personal growth through her blog and YouTube channel. She has completed a Science of Well-Being course from Yale University and continues to inspire others through her wellness-focused content. Published Works & Contributions In addition to her books, Nona has written for Thrive Global, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Her Circle, contributing articles on mental well-being, personal development, and societal challenges. Her insights have also been featured in prominent publications like Midday Mumbai, where she was recognized as an inspiration for mental health. Nona’s journey in journalism spans over 24 years as a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, where she worked across multiple platforms including Times Life, Delhi Times, Economic Times, and Femina. She was also the editor for Rouge, a section focused on women’s empowerment. Her work has included breaking news, features, headline writing, and media relations, and she has coordinated the Times supplements across major cities. With a deep expertise in both print and digital media, Nona Walia continues to use her platform to advocate for mental wellness, sustainability, and women’s empowerment in arts and literature. Let’s Get Inspired In Conversation with Nona Walia – Preeti Juneja Q. Looking back on your journalism days, what topics did you enjoy covering the most? How does that compare to the content you curate now for social media? We live in times of rapid and dynamic change. Content is fast changing. Creating content for newspapers was a different experience. It was the golden period of lifestyle; the economy had opened up, and we were exposed to a different and new world. It was interesting meeting people and interviewing them — the newsmakers, changemakers, the pathbreakers. It was exciting being in the middle of the adventure of a newsroom. The pace and energy were always pulsating with action. Cut to now, writing on social media is a different experience. The reaction is immediate. The response is intense. You interact with people immediately. The wheels of content are always turning and churning. What works one day won’t work the next day. The algorithm is more dynamic. But a lot of stuff that gets boasted isn’t really good content. The authenticity of posts can be manipulated, which challenges authentic content creation. Q. How does someone even begin With so many new trends emerging in the wellness space? Tell us about your journey of cleansing the mind and owning your energy to bring the magic from within you. Everyone has their own unique personal wellness story. We live in extremely challenging times, and nothing is given. The wellness space is extremely new yet getting cluttered. Everyone needs to create their own wellness plan. Wellness is the core of my work, be it wellness at work, mental health, own your energy or creating their magic within — all my current writings are born from the will to bring change in people’s wellness curve. I believe that collectively, we can make a difference to make the world better. Quality of life will be directly dependent on the wellness quotient. Workplaces are also crucial spaces to make wellness more inclusive. Q. The hashtag “Women Empowering Women” is widely popular, but have you encountered real-life examples, either in your personal or professional life, that you’d like to share to inspire and encourage this movement? Right now, it’s a new movement—workplaces in the 90s or 2000s or even up until Covid did not resonate with this idea. If women were empowering women, there were some women bringing women down. I think this new wave comes with the philosophy that — all women can rise together. I think it’s powerful. I’ve experienced powerful women who helped me rise, and I’ve also experienced women who made me sink. You just have to find the right tribe. I hope this movement finds more power; more women can relax and not feel triggered or threatened. Q. Do you think influencer marketing is here to stay? What are your thoughts on its future? I’m highly sceptical of influencer marketing. I’d instead give all my vote to — more authentic marketing. We all take influencer marketing with a pinch of salt these days. The curve might soon change. I hear that influencer marketing is a rage now. Rapid-Fire: 1. What was the turning point in your life? When I lost my father.   2. Tips you would like to give budding writers? Write for yourself.   3. One area of interest you feel deeply connected to and continuously explore? Sustainability and wellness; Arts   4. As a solid media and communications professional, did a corporate communications or public relations role ever cross your mind? I do have a degree in Advertising & Public Relations. But I never really got a chance to be on the other side of things.   5. What quality can one develop over time that will help in life? Invest in Yourself.   One-Liners: 1. A dying art that you would like to promote: Handicrafts — anything that is created with hands is

Inspiring Women

Inspiring Women Every Wednesday: Padmashri Shovana Narayan

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Celebrating 75 Years: Shovana Narayan, India’s most celebrated Kathak Guru A multifaceted pioneer, Shovana has left an indelible mark as a performer, choreographer, guru, researcher, organizer, and author. Her performances, which blend deep-rooted classicism with innovative artistry, are celebrated for their freshness and social consciousness. Since her debut in 1954, she has mesmerized audiences across the globe at leading national and international festivals. Her shows before Heads of State have been lauded as ‘captivating,’ ‘sheer poetry,’ and ‘sublime joy transcending boundaries.’ Shovana Narayan is renowned for her unique contributions to Kathak and beyond. She seamlessly balanced dual careers as a professional dancer and an Indian Administrative Service (IAAS) officer, achieving excellence in both fields. Her work addresses various social issues, including environmental concerns, women’s rights, and human rights, showcasing her commitment to meaningful causes. She has pioneered contemporary interpretations of classical literature and mythology, engaged in inter-faith and intercultural dialogues, and introduced innovative dance genres. Her service on various academic and cultural committees further underscores her influential role in shaping contemporary Indian art. Shovana Narayan stands as a paragon of Kathak. Her eclectic taste, bold views, and luminous personality continue to inspire and challenge audiences across generations. Let’s Get Inspired In Conversation with Shovana Narayan – Preeti Juneja Reminiscing About My Childhood Days: Academics and Dance I come from a family with a rich cultural heritage, particularly on my mother’s side. Our family embraced all of Saraswati’s arts, including scholastics, performing arts, visual arts, and more— essentially, all sixty-four Kalas. Every child in the family was immersed in these arts and trained accordingly, though the direction they ultimately took depended on their interests. Besides music and the performing arts, my mother’s interests included literature in Sanskrit and Hindi, and I grew up surrounded by the Bhagavad Gita, Mahabharata, and Puranas. When I was around four years old, brimming with the boundless energy typical of children, I was introduced to the world of dance. My first guru, Guru Sadhna Bose, the renowned dancer and actress of that era, was taken aback when she first saw me. She told my mother in Bengali, “You didn’t bring a child; You brought a baby!” Besides training in dance, I also attended formal schooling at Loreto Convent, Calcutta. I fully immersed myself in dance, and I loved academics as well. Dance became my aatma – my soul, while the other activities continued to nourish my mind. Interestingly, I was also introduced to classical music. However, I never took it seriously, and my sister never pursued it in dance. We were given the opportunity to explore various fields, but we both had a strong inclination towards scholastics as well. As a result, we followed two parallel paths – one in the arts and one in academics – and both have continued to shape our lives. Reminiscing About My Childhood Days: Family and Personal Interests Women supporting one another to create a strong network for navigating both personal and professional challenges is what interests me. Through my podcast, Unstoppable Woman, I aim to amplify the voices of strong, determined women from diverse backgrounds, fostering a community of support and inspiration. The podcast serves as a platform for celebrating triumphs, overcoming adversity, and driving positive change. Through this platform, ‘Unstoppable Woman’, I feel women from all walks of life come together to share stories, learn, and uplift one another. I don’t come from a family lineage of traditional artists. My grandfather, my Nanaji, was a prominent figure in Indian history, serving imprisonment in 1919 during the freedom struggle and serving in the Central Assembly from 1922-23. Originally from Bihar, he was a great freedom fighter, a prominent lawyer, and a zamindar. Tragically, “not only did he die in 1930, but his two sons also lost their lives in the struggle for independence”. His younger sister was one of the first four female members of the Bihar Assembly in 1937 and notable in her own right. Given this rich legacy of nationalism, it is no wonder that the Bhagavad Gita was deeply ingrained in our lives, often sung at home, and became a significant part of my upbringing. As a child while I was singing ‘वनिता की ममता न हुई…’ and ‘हिमाद्रि तुंग श्रृंग से प्रबुद्ध शुद्ध भारती’ while also ‘Baba, Black Sheep Have You Any Wool’. My reading varied widely from Jai Shankar Prasad’s modern Hindi literature to Enid Blyton’s children’s books, and later included Shakespeare. At school, I loved physics, anything related to mathematics, and logic. This interest led me to pursue a PhD in Physics. By then, I had become recognized as a solo professional dancer. At one point, I pursued two careers simultaneously: dance and civil service.Today, my interests range from archaeology and history to anything logical and analytical. Anecdote I: I was 26 years old when my father died in a train accident in 1977. The next day, I gave the Agni. Later, my sister collected the Asthi and then went to Haridwar to complete all the final rituals. My mother was strong and gave me the courage: ‘This sorrow will not go away, but life will go on.’ I went to Mathura to perform at the festival only a few days after the tragedy. My parents gave me all the opportunities, with the only condition being, “Whatever you do, don’t do it half-heartedly. Do it well. Do it with depth. Do it with dedication. Do it with honesty and sincerity.” My Relationship With My Mother I remember this lesson vividly, as if it had happened just yesterday. I was eight years old then, deeply immersed in my studies, when my mother, a strict disciplinarian, suddenly came in, closed my books, and told me to leave. I was taken aback and scared, wondering what I had done wrong. She told me, “You aren’t studying; your mind is wandering”. I don’t want to hear you say that you have studied for so many hours. Nothing would have gone into your mind if I had

Inspiring Women

Inspiring Women Every Wednesday: Ahtushi Deshpande

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Author, Speaking Stones: Rock Art of Ladakh HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BOOK First-ever visual documentation of Ladakh’s petroglyphs on such a scale using special photography techniques. Illustrated maps 260 photographs Well researched text and bibliography International recognition Solo exhibition in Paris in November 2024, alongside the book release. Foreword by His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama. Additional foreword by Martin Vernier (HIRADa founder) Her work has been featured in various travel and lifestyle magazines, including Outlook Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, Marie Claire, Design Today, and more. Ahtushi was recognized as one of India’s top 80 photographers, with her work featured in a book and exhibition celebrating 75 years of Indian photography, published by Museo Camera, the Centre for the Photographic Arts. The travelogue “To the Land of Snow,” which details high-altitude solo trekking, has become required reading in high school literature classes. Her photography encompasses a broad range, including travel, documentary, food, architecture, events, and hotels. Let’s Get Inspired In Conversation with Ahtushi Deshpande – Preeti Juneja Q. How did you get started in photography? My interest in photography began in a home where creativity was appreciated. My avid hobbyist photographer father transformed our store into a darkroom. The heady mix of developing chemicals and the mysterious red glow of the darkroom fascinated me. Watching the image magically appear on paper when he left his prints for washing in the bathtub was surreal, and this early exposure to photography ignited a lifelong passion within me. I saved up for my first SLR camera when I was 17. However, it remained a hobby until 2004, when I turned my passion into a profession after a stint in television. I started working with Outlook Traveller magazine as a travel writer and photographer. My debut travel feature, “To the Land of Snow,” on the Milam Glacier trek, was published by Outlook was later also incorporated into Tamil Nadu’s high school English curriculum. Though I explored various roles within the field of photography, including paparazzi (IIFA Awards) and commercial work, my true love has always been travel and documentary photography. Once I had found the perfect confluence of my passion for trekking with my work as an adventure travel writer and photographer, I’ve never looked back. Q. If you were to use photography as a medium to influence society or create change, what would you focus on? I believe in using photography to influence the world and foster positive narratives through my journey. By turning my passion into a profession and exploring new subjects like rock art, I’ve demonstrated the potential we all have within us. My book on the rock art of Ladakh showcases how dedication to one’s passion can lead to meaningful outcomes. This particular project showed me the value of sharing the histories and cultures of places that inspire me, such as Ladakh, hoping that it will do so for my audience as well. Additionally, during my 1st cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment in 2015, I documented my journey through chemotherapy, capturing the process of hair loss and regrowth. This project, titled “The Color of My Cancer,” was exhibited by the Tata Memorial Breast Cancer Initiative, revealing a perspective on cancer that extends beyond the disease and delves into a more vulnerable reflection of both loss and renewal. It aimed to challenge the myths surrounding cancer, confront the associated stigma, and rise above the fear. By focusing the lens on my own experience, I sought to be a catalyst for change and inspire others. Q. Tell us about your book, “Speaking Stones: Rock Art of Ladakh” The inspiration for this work came from discussions with my friend Viraf Mehta about the presence of petroglyphs in Ladakh. When I first saw these petroglyphs in 2011, it was like I had been struck by a lightning bolt – Ladakh’s rugged, isolated terrain seemed an unlikely setting for such ancient artistry. Yet, there they were: these mysterious, mask-like symbols and abstract engravings of animals etched into rock – remnants of a prehistoric world previously unknown to me. This stirred something deep within me and I knew I had to document these extraordinary panels. The book provides a glimpse into the ancient artistry carved into the rugged rock surfaces of Ladakh, a high-altitude desert with a history that extends beyond its known narrative. Each site showcases its unique style and execution, underscoring Desmond Morris’s idea that artistry is an inherent human trait, regardless of material conditions. Despite the lack of funding and the difficulties of scouting expansive sites without GPS, I have managed to represent every region of Ladakh. I undertook 18 trips to Ladakh, with 14 of these trips focused solely on photographing this art. After completing my shoots in 2019, the challenge shifted to curating thousands of images into a cohesive book. Over the past five years, I have worked to make this relatively obscure subject accessible, combining my unique perspective with detailed research from academic papers, international publications, maps, travel insights, and contextual information. a) What makes it a unique piece of work? It is the first of its kind work in the mainstream in India by a non academic looking at the subject through the lens of art. As the first comprehensive monograph to cover all regions of Ladakh, it offers detailed illustrated maps, relevant context, and a modern geographical perspective that links the ancient past with the present. Featuring over 260 color photographs, including some previously unseen, the book provides a fresh and accessible view of a subject that remains relatively obscure, even within Ladakh. This project transcends traditional documentation, positioning photography as a powerful tool for both education and conservation. It pioneers the use of night photography and other innovative techniques to capture these ancient artworks specifically in this region. As the first major Indian contribution exploring rock art through the lenses of art, photography, and travel, the book stands out for its originality and personal aesthetic. The book offers a fresh perspective on Ladakh’s rich cultural heritage and

Inspiring Women

Inspiring Women Every Wednesday: Premlata Poonia

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Author of the book ‘Borders Bridges Belonging’ Hamari Laado is an initiative built on the collective spirit of wanting to create a better future for our daughters in rural Bharat! The Vision: To inspire and Enable girls with skills and confidence to achieve. The Principles: We believe that all girls can achieve. – We believe all girls deserve an equal chance to succeed. – We believe in building skills and confidence for girls to have a chance! The Programmes: NEEV MARG Giving Circle Borders Bridges Belonging It is a tale of two strikingly different worlds, and a journey through many layers of India – rural, small town, urban and global. The story begins with a family of farmers leaving their land and finding a home along the border during the partition of India. With many migrations, strong faith in education and constant pursuit of dreams, brings the author from her village to the American heartland. The book leaves us meditating on the role we play in being a bridge to the other part. I grew up in a society that had embraced the darkness they had inherited, and I was living in one which was burning its own houses down for light. Was there really no middle way? Premlata Poonia Let’s Get Inspired In Conversation with Premlata Poonia – Preeti Juneja Q. In your book “Borders Bridges Belonging,” you begin by reflecting on the generations preceding you: “My grandmother’s generation navigated the reality of borders, my parents crossed many bridges for our family, and my journey unfolded in pursuit of belonging.” Towards the end, you assert, “For five generations, Likhmalo has been the ordinary yet extraordinary starting, resting, and ending point. Somewhere within those points, I found my sense of belonging.” Was it the emotional connection to the place ”Likhmalo,” or the aspirations of young girls toward education that ultimately brought you home to where you belonged? The answer would be both and much more. Likhmalo and its journey, even after I left, became a specimen for me in terms of what is happening in girls’ education in rural Rajasthan or even general changes in rural areas. Coming from a village and constantly migrating for education were core to my journey and identity, however far I moved. And I knew no demand-supply logic would solve the issue of girls’ education in rural areas. I had to give my part to it. And yes, I feel so comfortable moving around the villages of Rajasthan compared to any other place. I know these places and their journeys more intimately than anything else. So I belong. Q. Could you please elaborate on Hamari Laado’s NEEV programme? Once you raise hope in girls, how do you ensure they can achieve their dreams? Do you provide financial aid to top-performing girls? Yes, the right question. We have programs that cater to the whole cycle. So, we do sponsor top-performing girls from rural Government schools. They are the first generation to complete high school, and we want to ensure they succeed and become new role models in their communities and make way for new social norms. NEEV is much more foundational at middle school – so girls develop the strength and confidence to go through high school well. Q. “Bhape had provided me with another ticket aboard a new train of hope”; “Despite initial reluctance, your father eventually accepted, recognizing the importance of your decision to return home and empower girls. What gave you the confidence that this was the right path? And how do you evaluate the impact and success of your efforts? *Bhape – Father I always told my family my hopes – to return and work for girls. But that was just an information. I went through the emotional journey leading up to it and was ready for it when I decided. I realized – Bhape’s emotional journey of internalizing it started after I made the final decision. So it took him time – not that he said anything to me, but you can sense. And the way society is – nobody he met said, “Oh, what a great decision”. People around were making all kinds of stuff up. So, he had a more challenging time making sense of himself and communicating with his set of folks. And much of it happened when I started taking him along and involving him in Hamari Laado’s work. It brought home the point for him. Q. You have witnessed the journey of many women from different walks of life. Who inspired you, who supported you, who helped you achieve your dreams? You read a lot about my family in the book and the role of each one of them. Family does give the biggest strength in terms of support. Maate, being such a high-spirited person, always gave us the strength, laughter, and stories to go on. So, nothing can replace that. But as you said, I was very fortunate to meet some amazing women from different walks of life. At every phase and place of life, I found a group of women friends who went above and beyond. There are way too many to be able to share here. But I always talk about my boss at Tata Steel at that time. She gave me a month off to prepare for the GMAT, wrote my recommendation letter, and taught me how to care in real. It’s unbelievable what people do for you and how it changes the course of your life. I got to be friends with Sarla while living in Columbus. She was in her 70s, had moved to the U.S. more than five decades ago and was probably the first Indian woman to attend Columbia Business School. Her life journey and her jest for life were so inspiring. It broadened my horizon on what I considered age to give, contribute, learn, grow, and live a good life. I recently saw her again when she was visiting Jaipur, and I hope to be a

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