“I’ve never had hair for as long as I can remember. From my earliest teen memories to just a couple of years ago when I was still battling the silent war with anaemia and iron deficiency, my scalp was almost bare. People would gawk, casting those strange, pitying glances my way, and I could hear the whispers behind my back. It’s hard not to when your own friends and relatives have a lot to say.

But then, everything changed when I travelled to Mumbai. The bustling city offered me not only a better work opportunity but also an escape from the water that had been cruelly robbing me of my health. As the stress gradually lifted, so did the burden of anaemia. And miraculously, my hair began to regrow. It was like a second chance, a chance for a new me.

Now, when people see me, they’d never imagine that there was a time when I had no hair to speak of. I became an interior designer along the way, and I founded The Design Storey, a journey that has spanned 8 incredible years thus far. Back when I had no hair, the mental depression I faced, along with my family was immense. We couldn’t help but worry about how others might perceive my future.

During my college years, when self-identity and self-esteem were still fragile and easily influenced, my lack of hair felt like a weight I could hardly bear. I know it may not sound as draining, but for a young girl trying to find her place in a judgmental society, it was an incredibly challenging hurdle. I was lost, not knowing how to handle the strange stares and the curious questions that came my way all the time.

But through it all, I discovered the incredible power of time. Time is a healer, they say, yes – it is, I’ve experienced it. I learnt that challenges, no matter how invincible they may seem, can be overcome with patience and perseverance. I learned that the most extraordinary transformations can emerge from the most unexpected circumstances. The tables always turn! Today I receive the most compliments for my hair and I am utterly grateful to have had this journey.”