ILLUMINATING SUCCESS Krupa Kholkar's Journey from Hobby to Candle Business

Krupa, originally from a business family in Baroda, is now married to Tanmay Kholkar, a prominent businessman and real estate developer from Panaji.

- Rajesh Ghadge

Like her husband, Krupa grew up with an entrepreneurial spirit, which seems to run in her veins. Her father, a first-generation businessman, instilled in her a natural inclination toward business, and her mother, a commercial artist, nurtured her creative side. This perfect blend of business acumen and artistic flair laid the foundation for her future endeavors.

After completing her commerce degree from MSU, Baroda (The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda), Krupa ventured into entrepreneurship, combining her creative passion with her business sense by starting a candlemaking enterprise. What began as a hobby during her school and college years has blossomed into a successful full-time business. Now, nearly two decades into her marriage, Krupa has firmly established her candle-making business in Goa, merging her natural talents and family legacy into a thriving venture.

Krupa's journey into candle making began as an unintentional hobby. Reflecting on how it all started, she shared, "I've always loved the art of candle making. Back then, I used to recycle used candles from home, melting them down and reshaping them into stylish, decorative pieces. I didn't have professional molds, so I'd use whatever I found in the kitchen-small utensils of different shapes and sizes-to pour the melted wax into. It was simple and creative."

The wax she repurposed came from white candle sticks her family bought to use during frequent power outages. "In Gujarat, power cuts were common in those days, so the candles I made were always put to good use at home. My parents were delighted that my handmade candles, which had become quite fancy over time, were both functional and beautiful."