I grew up in Mumbai in a bustling and historic neighbourhood called Dadar. It was one of the neighbourhoods in Mumbai that housed thousands of mill workers that migrated to Mumbai following the textile boom of the mid-19th century. While the mills shut down a long time ago, Dadar is still home to a large population of middle & lower-middle-class families, one of which was mine. Being mindful and recycling was not a trend but a way of life for the people who grew up here. Being raised in a typical 90s middle-class family meant upcycling was a part of our everyday routine and values. Nothing went to waste. Clothes were taken care of and handed down from generation to generation.  

My family was primarily matriarchal (my mother, aunt, grandmother, cousin sisters and I) in a largely patriarchal society. I have seen them navigate the inequalities and the power of uplifting women, and the cascading effect on future generations. I am a result of that. My grandmother was widowed young, and she worked odd jobs to give my father and aunt better education and job opportunities, which led to me having options they didn’t, starting a cycle of generational upward mobility. 

Between all the chaos that is Dadar, I drew the values of upcycling waste and women's empowerment which influenced my worldview.