Naturally gifted

Naturally gifted

This is the story of a lady who made her life a journey to victory, despite facing many hardships.

Sekura Asha, from Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur village, lost her father at the age of five and started working at the age of 18. She never dreamt that she might be an entrepreneur someday but did want to do her best to study and make something of herself. At every stage, when challenges presented themselves, she just took them as opportunities to learn something new.

She was brought up by her mother and grandfather. The latter passed away when she was 15, so she had to put her education on hold. Never giving up on life, later on, she did her bachelor’s in sociology from an open university and started working as a counsellor. There were financial issues even after marriage. Another challenge was that she gave birth to a premature baby and the delivery was complicated. She had wished to have a baby the natural way, but God had willed otherwise. 

At every stage, she only looked for answers and solutions. When rashes began to appear on her baby’s skin, Asha became aware of the harmful effects of chemical products. She asked her husband’s grandmother and his brother, who was an ayurvedic doctor, for guidance. She also studied the traditional recipes of skincare from her grandmother. Parallelly, she did a course in naturopathy and ayurvedic cosmetics. The first cosmetic articles she developed after completing her course were almond extract oil and ubtan (traditional face mask) powder. They worked miraculously on her baby, and many friends, too, gave her positive feedback. This is how Tanvi Naturals began in 2015.

In 2019, when a newspaper reported on the brand, it took wings. The ingredients used in all the brand’s products are dried flowers, herbs, and natural oils.  All these are natural, as Asha had faced the negative effects of chemicals on her baby and, hence, vowed to never use these in her brand. She hopes to expand her business on Amazon and also conduct workshops for other women to help them make these products.

Many people give up when they face challenges. Some, like Asha, overcome them and inspire others to do the same. In this process, they become victors and not victims in the journey of their lives. Let’s all take a leaf from her life and do what we can in our lives.

By Jamuna Rangachari