“Culturally, I'm fairly Indian.”

Rebekah Blank does not remember life before India, for a good reason—she was barely a toddler when her family left the US. The co-founder of Fabcafe (the dining arm of FabIndia) and Atmosphere Kombucha talks about growing up in Mussoorie, living in Delhi, and her love for the outdoors and healthy eating.

- RASHIMA NAGPAL

What was it like to grow up in Mussoorie?

My parents moved to India when I was 18 months old, so I don’t have any memory of my family’s life in the United States. My childhood in Mussoorie was pretty unusual. We spent a lot of time outdoors, playing in the forest, climbing trees and mountains, making fire. It was the complete opposite of the city life that I now experience in Delhi. My school Woodstock, and Mussoorie in general, had an international community. It gave us a global perspective, and we made friends from different countries.

What’s your go-to place in the country and why?

My hometown—Landour, Mussoorie—where I always feel very grounded and peaceful. I still have a lot of friends there. I also love going to Goa; South Goa in particular. Agonda Beach is a very relaxing place for me.

Tell us about some of the most memorable trips you have taken in India?

We used to take family trips to Goa during winters. We would spend a month or two near Palolem Beach, and a lot of our friends from Mussoorie would also be there. Other than that, we did a lot of hiking in the Himalayas. My parents would find some obscure mountain, valley, or lake, and we would go on family excursions, carrying our own tents and food. My parents didn’t believe in porters or guides, so we would be by ourselves, surviving in the wilderness.