On a voyage of self discovery

Urvi Piramal, in her many avatars, is a unique combination of strength, resilience, and grace. The head honcho of Piramal Group, Urvi has spearheaded her family business as its chairperson after her husband Ashok Piramal’s demise. A keen wildlife lover, she spends her leisure time reading, listening to music and travelling extensively.  She has decided to give in to her calling and curate an exquisite and pictorially evoking coffee table book Wildlife in Africa and Wildlife in India.

Urvi’s love for travel began as a child, “My father was very fond of travelling. Being a lawyer, when the courts were shut, the family would be bundled into cars and off we went to exotic locations all over India.” Traversing through the lush green forests of the South and seeing the glory of the Himalayas in the North, these holidays instilled in her a love for nature and the wild, which has remained with her even today.

It has been a journey with a lot of lessons and learning, as she had to effortlessly juggle between her personal and professional life. “It may sound clichéd but it has also been a journey of self-discovery. While on the one hand, I had to run this organisation and keep my husband’s dream alive, on the other, was my duty of raising and preparing my kids so that when the time comes, they can take the baton forward and keep the legacy alive,” she shares.

There are two habits the chairwoman swears by for her fitness — hitting the gym and meditation, “These two habits are a part of my daily routine and they help me relax and keep calm. I begin my day with the gym. Fitness is of utmost importance to me. I also meditate to keep my mind fit. It is my belief that, one needs to be holistically healthy. Through the gym and a few hours of meditation, I strive to maintain just that,” she shares.

She makes it a point to involve her family members in her travelling expeditions as well, “I love spending time with my family and at least once a year, we take a trip to one of my favourite destinations where I can share my love for the wild with them. My favourite destinations are the Masai Mara and Serengeti in East Africa and Ranthambore in India as these have been the destinations where I have had my love for wildlife grow multi-fold,” she says.  

The journey of curating a coffee-table book was as enriching as her travels, “I realised over a period of time that I enjoyed capturing the animals I encountered during my travels as much as I loved exploring their world. The photographs are all a peek into how I view the beautiful landscapes of India and Africa and their resplendent wildlife. I’ve penned down these thoughts in the book and I hope to convey the very special feelings each photo represents for me,” she signs off.