The Power Of Sisterhood

Mothers, daughters, and sisters...they are the women who shape us and teach us the value of female bonds. In a special Bazaar feature, we speak with four leading families of India, to celebrate the relationship they share.

- Radhika Bhalla

SHOBHAA DE,AUTHOR, 73

AVANTIKKA RAJU, MAGAZINE CREATIVE DIRECTOR, 42

ARUNDHATI DE-SHETH, JEWELLERY ADVISOR, 35

ANANDITA DE, ENTREPRENEUR, 32

On the lessons they have learnt from each other

My daughters’ individuality is what always strikes me as being hugely inspiring,” Shobhaa De tell Bazaar, as she settles into a the couch at her Mumbai-based home, along with her daughters, Avantikka, Anandita, and Arundhati. “I grew up in a family where we were expected to behave a certain way and expressing your individuality was never encouraged. I have, on the other hand, always encouraged my daughters to celebrate themselves and I am glad they have taken full advantage of it! Each one is their own person and I love that,” she continues.

Shobhaa’s “chief censor board”—her daughters, who provide her “that reality check, along with the voice of love and protectiveness”— are equally in awe of her, sharing the lessons they have learnt from the acclaimed author who pioneered a complete genre of modern Indian writing. As Anandita tells us, “Some of the strongest traits I have learnt from my mother, and tried my best to keep up with, are integrity, honesty, and hard work. With these values, I have learnt, you become not just a good woman but also a good companion and an inspiration in society.”