SHIKHA KAJARIA & GAYATRI REDDY BHATIA

UNITED BY THEIR LOVE FOR FASHION, THESE FRIENDS BECAME ENTREPRENEURS WHEN THEY LAUNCHED THE NEWEST ENTRANT TO INDIA'S DIGITAL SHOPPING LANDSCAPE. IN A CANDID CHAT, THEY SHARE THEIR INTERESTING JOURNEY WITH HELLO! AND WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THEIR UNIQUE PLATFORM

- NOOR ANAND CHAWLA

Shikha Kajaria is a quintessential South Delhi diva. Mother to three boisterous boys, a gym addict, and the owner of a chic wardrobe replete with black dresses of all kinds. Gayatri Reddy Bhatia, on the other hand, is a bubbly beauty from Hyderabad, mom to two sweet girls, and a lover of books, cricket and creativity, a fact amply reflected in her closetful of vibrant outfits with nary a black one in sight.

Despite the differences, these two unlikely companions are bound together through friendship and an overarching love for fashion. We meet the entrepreneurs for a freewheeling chat, where amidst makeup application, hairstyling and outfit trials for the shoot, they spill the beans on running a business and maintaining strong partnerships. "I love clothes. Just looking at them gives me immense joy. And when you do something that you love, it doesn't feel like work," smiles an exuberant Gayatri, while Shikha chimes in, "I've always been a fashion enthusiast but was apprehensive about entering the production side of things. So when Gayatri and I discussed this idea over lunch one day, it seemed the right fit."

Shikha is married to Rishi Kajaria, the Joint Managing Director of India's premier ceramics brand, Kajaria Ceramics. Gayatri is part of the Reddy family associated with the Deccan Chronicle and the erstwhile IPL team Deccan Chargers; she's married to Aneesh Bhatia, an entrepreneur and the son of the co-founder of Air Asia. Apart from their illustrious family connections, Shikha is involved in the CSR wing of Kajaria Ceramics, whereas Gayatri has worked with Deccan Chronicle for years, continuing to write features for them even now. Yet, neither had dabbled in business ventures of their own until they envisioned Sverve, with things taking a drastic turn when the pandemic struck.