Ambrish Arora, an award-winning architect aims to craft spaces that address the emerging future of work, leisure and living. The studio’s work is grounded on the principles of Conscious Design—an approach that celebrates local resources, cultural influences, attention to details and an inclusive design process that seeks to bring out the best from all stakeholders, especially in the global crisis of a pandemic. Hotel Raas Jodhpur, Imagine Studio at The Trees, Masti Cocktails & Cuisine (a restaurant in Dubai) and Krushi Bhawan (a government facility) are some of the many notable projects of Arora.

Creative Director Amit Aggarwal founded his eponymous label in 2012. He has earned numerous accolades and many clients who are fascinated with his couture creation. He first showcased at Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW) in 2013. In 2020, he was the proud debutant at the LFW grand finale and Kareena Kapoor Khan was his showstopper. The designer uses innovative weaves, industrial materials, recycled plastics to create an edgy apparel line. His technique is simple—to maintain a balance between structured and free-flowing designs.

Balbir Singh Dhillon joined Audi India in 2007 as the Regional Sales Manager for the North East of India and became the Head of Audi India in September 2019. His impressive and wide-ranging experience in sales, business development, market expansion, entrepreneurship and business management adds to the luxury carmaker’s strengths in driving revenues and market share in India. In 2020, under Dhillon’s leadership, Audi India launched various models – Audi Q8, Audi A8 L, Audi RS7 Sportback, Audi RS Q8, Audi Q8 celebration model and the Audi Q2.

Banker-entrepreneur Amit Goyal gets the credit for setting up a world-class luxury real estate brand in India. Adapting to the new ‘normal’, under the leadership of Goyal, India Sotheby’s International Realty (ISIR) championed the ‘improved’ role of marketing with the help of digital tools while dealing with their UHNI clientele. They introduced a slew of technology-led interventions, which lets prospective tenants and home buyers virtually walk-through properties before buying them. The brain behind the implementation of these innovations, Goyal is a seasoned real estate and private banking professional with over 18 years of work experience.

Anurag Katriar is the President of the National Restaurant Association of India and loves the excitement of working in the food industry. He believes that eating out will never go out of style. He joined deGustibus Hospitality in 2004 when they had just one operating restaurant—Indigo Colaba. From then to now, Katriar has played a pivotal role in the growth and success of the company that now has brands like Indigo, Indigo Delicatessen, Neel, Tote on the Turf, Moveable Feast, D:oh, Indigo Burger Project, Dakshin Rasoi and Eleven Kitchens.

18-year-old Tia Jasra, under the mentorship of her mother, Bhavna Jasra, launched We Sort You, a one-stop-shop for celebrations and party planning in September 2020. It is the sister company of First Impression by Bhavna Jasra, a venture launched 18 years ago. Tia started her business on Instagram, which lists all the partners catering to celebrations and parties.

Devendra Parulekar and his venture SaffronStays has reinvigorated the luxury tourism industry in India. Even in the pandemic, the company has been doing well on the back of effective marketing and communication strategy, coupled with top-notch safety operations. The company’s clientele includes business travellers, CXOs, entrepreneurs and working professionals. See him talk about what it takes to be a successful leader in the times of crisis, in our rapid-fire interview with him.

At 61, when most people retire, Solomon started a new restaurant, Thai Naam by Ananda in Mumbai. He continues to clock in 15 to 18-hour long days and is among those rare restaurateurs who did not cut his staff’s salary. Here, the ex-chef of the Taj hotel who has cooked for the who's who of the world, including Ratan Tata, does exceptionally well at our rapid-fire.

Prince Digraj Singh Shahpura has made it his mission to establish an empire of luxury properties that ace in Indian hospitality. His business started with one heritage hotel, set up by his father, on a family property in Rajasthan, and today, Shahpura has six properties. The hotels are known for offering a regal experience and staying true to the royal culture and traditions of Rajasthan. Here, in the video, he tackles all of our questions with wit and panache.

A Risk Management graduate from the UK, Gaurav Mehta has always had a fascination for rare, antique coins and watches. One day, he ended up making a unique timepiece himself, by piecing a coin on to a watch dial. This unexpected, but successful experiment gave him the confidence to start the business of watchmaking. And so, he founded The Jaipur Watch Company (JWC) in 2013.

The COVID-19-led crisis was a welcome interlude for Mehta to rethink and revive his creative approach to watchmaking. This resulted in two innovative, new collections. One is of customizable, embossed watches, made as per the buyer’s design needs. Second is the harmony collection, limited to 100 units, where the hour hand is swapped with an hour window in a royal blue enamel frame.

After establishing Milaaya Embroideries in 2000 and Gayatri Khanna House of Fashion in 2006, she launched her third venture GAYA in July 2020. GAYA’s debut collection included a stunning range of embellished and printed masks for kids, men and women. She didn’t just launch a new venture in the pandemic, but also lent a helping hand to the underprivileged. GAYA made thousands of masks for the workers of Mumbai’s Municipal Corporation. She also launched #BuyOneGiveOne initiative. For every mask bought from the brand, GAYA donated a mask to the Helping Hands Foundation.

Harit Zaveri is one of the youngest businessmen in the Zaveri family of jewellers that has been in the business for six generations. Harit founded Harit Zaveri Jewellers in 2014 in Ahmedabad, a premium jewellery showroom that offers high-end shopping experience to luxury clients. The new-age entrepreneur thinks that it is crucial to bring together his family’s cultural heritage, jewellery-making traditions and modern technology, to run a successful business.

As the Executive Director of ITC Ltd., Nakul Anand handles the hospitality, travel and tourism businesses of ITC. He has pioneered the ‘Responsible Luxury’ concept for ITC, nurturing green buildings with the maximum number of LEED Platinum Certified Properties and executing environment-friendly policies. He has also been recognised as 'The Corporate Hotelier of the World' (2019) by HOTELS (a US-based magazine). Anand is in charge of expanding the hotel chain’s footprint and is working towards opening 25 new properties soon.

Well known for promoting healthy living and holistic wellness, Atmantan Wellness Centre opened its doors on April 7, 2016, on World Health Day. The venture is an extension of its Founder Nikhil Kapur’s enthusiasm for fitness. An entrepreneur and an Ironman triathlete, Kapur has made Atmantan a luxurious, integrated wellness destination spa. The retreat spans 42 acres and is nestled on a hill that overlooks the pristine Mulshi Lake of Lonavala. The centre was certified to cure obesity, diabetes, PCOD, gout, hypertension, asthma and atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease through Ayurveda, Naturopathy, yoga and physiotherapy by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers in October 2020.

Payal Singhal was among the first few designers to embrace the dramatic changes in Indian fashion business in the pandemic and designed creative solutions to sustain and succeed. In May, the designer introduced three product lines of face masks and in September 2020, opened a flagship store in Mumbai and launched menswear. Singhal upgraded her online business to make it more approachable and added products like masks, gifting items, accessories and PS prêt to cater to the new fashion sentiment. Her collections revolve around wearability, comfort, value for money and effortless impact.

Venugopal’s extensive experience in sales, dealer operations and marketing functions combined with his excellent leadership skills in managing team retention and effectiveness have helped him lead teams to achieve record revenue targets and award-winning milestones in his career. In the new’ normal’ world, Venugopal believes that technology will have a larger role to play. Nevertheless, Lexus will continue to be in the ‘People’s Business’ first, backed by digital touchpoints.

Jaipur-based Pranjal Agrawal launched Hèrmosa Design Studio, a bespoke home décor label, in 2018, for people living beyond large metropolitan cities. He thinks that modern Rajasthan is being rapidly and urbanised and that people in the Pink City want to experiment with newer designs. In September 2020, the company announced their collaboration with design maven Gauri Khan. Khan has created an exquisite furniture line that is slated to release soon. In the lockdown phase of the pandemic, Agarwal and his team distributed 10,000 ration kits to marginalised communities; donated steam cleaners and sanitation equipment to hospitals in Rajasthan and established a hotline number for any health emergency services required.

It was a proud moment for India when Rahul Mishra became the first Indian fashion designer to showcase his collection at the Paris Haute Couture Week in January 2020. He shared the runway with luxury couture giants Givenchy, Dior, Valentino, Iris van Herpen and Chanel. He has always been an ardent promoter of slow and sustainable fashion, a champion of traditional Indian textiles and an admirer of handmade craftsmanship. He has been vocal about the baleful fashion practices that impact the environment. And travel and nature are his eternal muses.

Richa Singh heads the Natural Diamond Council (NDC) in India. She has had a 23-year-long run in marketing, building brands and has developed nascent businesses. During the lockdown, Singh and her team utilised the time to stay connected with consumers to understand the change in the thinking and buying pattern. NDC also launched two online platforms to support the trade and retail community. The trade portal gives access of best-in-class marketing material to retailers. The second is an e-learning platform for the sales force to upskill and gain knowledge on natural diamonds.

Rina Singh launched her fashion label Eka in 2011. In the initial days of her business, Singh showed her line in New York, Paris and London and then launched her label in India in 2014. Ekà now retails from all major multi-designer stores across all metros in India and in 150 stores worldwide. Born in a family of agriculturalists, Singh’s creations are rooted in simple living and guided by the ideals of comfort and sustainability. The label uses only hand-woven natural fibres such as cotton and wool to create silhouettes that are versatile and globally relevant.

Sachin Jain has been associated with the Indian arm of De Beers since 2010. Under his leadership, the brand has seen remarkable growth and expansion. As the Managing Director of De Beers’ India operations, Jain heads the Forevermark business in the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East GCC business. To cater to the needs of the consumers in the pandemic and keep up with the rapidly evolving virtual space, the first-ever Virtual Forevermark Forum was hosted in August 2020. It was an interactive platform, which enabled product viewing, business transactions, virtual meetings and conferences. The brand received 9,243 registrations from over 37 countries, 426 cities and over 8,652 unique log-ins.

The idea of HIVADO was conceptualised in late 2018 when Sainath and his wife Shradha observed a gap in the men’s personal care space in India. They decided to build an Indian personal care brand for men that is at par with international brands. Sainath is process-driven in his personal and professional life, thriving in system and structure. That is also the genesis of HIVADO, a men’s personal care company that is built on the belief that skincare is a system, a ritual. Shradha’s creative energy is the backbone of HIVADO’s aesthetics. Her ability to intuit ideas and visualise unique concepts has shaped the brand's ideology and how it is communicated to the customers.

The sister duo Kaabia and Sasha Grewal’s passion for jewellery and desire for the unorthodox led to the launch of Outhouse in 2012. Guided by a sophisticated yet dramatic design sensibility, the entrepreneurs combine unique elements and inventive design to create their collections. In a short span of eight years, Outhouse has showcased their collections at four shows at the Lakmé Fashion Week and other exhibits. The brand’s products are worn by some of the biggest fashion icons such as Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Cardi B, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Nicky Minaj, Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Kangana Ranaut and Kareena Kapoor Khan.

The only Master of Wine in India, Sonal Holland is an award- winning, certified wine educator, consultant and entrepreneur and Founder of SoHo Wine Club. She has also worked as the Divisional Head – Wine & Beverage for ITC Hotels, and is a Wine Buyer and Consultant for Foodhall, a luxury food retail store in India.

Tarun Tahiliani design studio, founded in 1995, creates couture, diffusion and prêt-a-porter collections that are Indian in their sensibility, yet international in their appeal. His designs are richly tailored, elegant and timeless. Always quick to evolve, Tahiliani recognized that in the pandemic-affected world while customers were looking for deals and discounts, they were also eager to see fresh, new collections. Hence, the talented designer conducted India’s first-ever, full-length virtual fashion show to launch ‘Pieces of You’, the brand’s Festive and Bridal Wear 2020 collection on Instagram.

Originally from Madhya Pradesh, Vaishali Shadangule has been giving voice to hundreds of local craftsmen on a global platform through her eponymous label Vaishali S, founded in 2001. In March 2020, the label opened a new outlet in Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda neighbourhood. The store houses the designer’s signature outfits, inspired by Indian textiles and her new line of sustainable home décor and lighting.

After pursuing her master’s in Marketing at Regents University in London, Vandana Jagwani had a short stint with D’Decor Home Fabrics, and later, in 2015 joined her family business, Mahesh Notandass Fine Jewellery and in 2017, became its Creative Director. In 2020, Jagwani launched Vandals, a lab-grown diamond jewellery brand. Inspired by street artists, her mood board is brightly coloured and uses a variety of mediums to convey her designs. She combines traditional jewellery techniques with new-age capabilities of lab grown diamonds.

Yogesh Chaudhary first started working at Jaipur Rugs, his father’s company, in 2006 when they were only exporting their products. Chaudhary steered the company towards retail and expanded the brand’s footprint in domestic and international markets. On an average, Jaipur Rugs manufactures five lakh sq ft of carpets a year. Under his leadership, the company has increased its global presence to 65 plus nations in a span of two decades.