I Googled ‘How to Start a Business’ and This Happened
The kid who got kicked out of drawing class.
While other kids were solving maths problems, I was drawing eyes.🙃 Every parent-teacher meeting was like a rerun: "She’s bright, but lost."
The Sci + Math Combo. (A.K.A. the confusion plate of every Indian teenager.)
Like most Indian kids, I ordered the full thali — Biology and Maths. Why? Because saying “I don’t know what I want to do with my life” isn’t considered a career path here. So one night, quietly, nervously, I told my parents: “I want to do something... in design.” Which took almost 11 months of convincing.
The NIFT Miracle
I had 9 months to prepare. I had 0 confidence. I was ready to fail, quietly. So I secretly enrolled in a private fashion college. But the universe had a better plot twist: I cleared NIFT. It was my first real “Maybe I’m not completely useless” moment.
London looked shiny… but it was hard.
I went to London for a business degree. Big move, right? But it wasn’t easy. One degree, A strong craving for dal chawal, 274 minor breakdowns. I came back without a job, without a plan — but with this weird, itchy, full-body feeling that I needed to build something real.
Sarees, Swatches & Sleepless Trains
I took trains. Auto rides. I travelled to Bengal, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana — not to “source,” but to understand. I sat cross-legged in weavers’ homes. Ate food that made me cry (happy tears + spice). I made 50+ samples. Just to feel what fabric feels like when it’s right. P.S. Thank you mom dad for travelling every corner with me.
The First Saree. The First Yes.
I had 5 sarees. That’s it. No brand. No logo. No marketing. And then came Manisha Dagwal. A warm smile and a heart full of grace. She picked one silk saree. Then another conversation. Then a hug. She even offered to model. She wasn’t just my first buyer. She was my first believer.
The Stuff Instagram Doesn’t Show
I’ve cried over the wrong fabric. Lost money. Messed up designs. Trusted the wrong vendors. (Trusted the wrong guys too, but that’s another website.) There were days I thought, “What am I even doing?” But every time I fell, my family caught me.
Still Winging It. Still Weaving It.
At 24, I became the first in my family to start a business. No guidebook. Just guts, and Google. One day, I will do a saree shoot for a dog. Until then — I’ll just keep creating, learning, and (occasionally) crying over fabric costs. This is The Mirari Life. A little messy. A little magical. All heart.❤️
