I was born in 1976 and grew up in Pune and Mumbai. During my adolescent years, my father, a distinguished lawyer and a judge, quit his state functions to devote himself entirely to social activism. His unwavering commitment to the defence of civil rights has given me an enhanced sense of social responsibility and the knowledge that my actions and creations can be an impetus to and have meaning for the betterment of society. My father further encouraged me to gain spiritual discernment and mental balance and use them as my life's primary guiding forces.

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During those formative years, I met and trained under my guru, Mr Bal Wad, former director of Camlin, a distinguished ceramicist and painter. Mr. Bal Wad gave me the tools and techniques to hone my passion for clay. More importantly, however, he encouraged me to understand my chosen medium of expression to give full reign to my ability to materialise thought into earthen creations. Though I had, by then, completed a degree in Law, I had also become aware that I wanted to use Art as my primary vehicle to contribute to society. This desire was spurred on initially by witnessing the very real, ugly and dangerous transformations that have been taking place in my home town. Particularly sensitive to my surroundings and the environment, in the course of my lifetime, I have seen and deplored the rapid degradation and destruction of Pune’s natural environment, and with it, a growing disregard for Mother Nature's gracious gifts.

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In pursuit of doing solutions-based work to save the environment, I completed the Diploma course by the Ecological Society, Pune in nature conservation and sustainable living practices.

 

Further down the process of protecting the environment, I was introduced to a lifestyle based on non-violence (ahimsa) called Veganism. This was a turning point for me because I made a bold shift in my diet and embarked on the journey to transform the food system in India. I founded an environmental organisation, Jeeva Bhavana Foundation  with two of my very close associates in the environmental field. Currently, I am leading the organisation’s pilot project, Urvarasa which has received widespread recognition globally as one of the best solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change.