Mira Kulkarni: the deep-rooted beauty and the MD of Forest Essentials
There is one thing which we know about Mira. She is intrigued by all that is unusual and not common. This is something that is conveyed through her various facets by the strikingly and simple persona she has. Mira Kulkarni is the managing director of the ayurvedic cosmetic brand. The brand she hosts is Forest Essentials. She loves the exotic way of life. This is why she created a luxury as well as a user-friendly Ayurveda brand which she created by traveling to offbeat locales and tried to outlandish the exotic cuisines. This spirit of hers where she tries to pursue things which are behind the ordinary is what brought her to this stair of success.
With a home of hers in Tehri Garhwal of Rishikesh which is actually a hub of Ayurveda, Kulkarni got exposure to the various benefits of Ayurveda from the very beginning. It was in the year 2000 that she started the brand. She started this a hobby first and later with the help of vaids as well as modern biochemists, she started making handmade soaps which were made from oils which have been extracted from the cold press ayurvedic method.
Through this process, she wanted her products to contain the potency of the oils as well as their nutritional value so that the soaps came out to be purely natural and had genuine results. She affirms,’ We wanted to introduce a traditional version of cosmetics made according to Ayurveda but with a modern twist. At that time, there was a need for high-quality Indian skincare products. It was just the right idea at the right time. Her idea was soon relatable for others as well. by the end of the year of 2002, Forest Essentials had found their first customer which was an expat that used to work as the general manager in Delhi’s Hyatt Regency. She said that he liked the idea so much that he wanted to introduce her products in the rooms of his hotel. This was a start in her success story and also the first step towards a bigger deal. The strategy Mira had put forth for her products and brand worked effectively. She used all the pure essential oils which have light textures. This was quite opposed to the other Ayurveda products which are usually messy as well as make you uncomfortable due to the way in which they have to be used.
In a lot of her interviews previously, she mentioned that she gave the brand a connotation of luxury. She says that her USP which she has in the products which she makes is that these products are light, utilitarian, as well as pleasurable. The last ten years of her journey in her business has been quite passionate for her. She rarely gets any free time, and when she does, what she likes to do is still keep on managing her business. She just does not want out from her business.
She also admits that she likes to read many cookbooks. she loves to try various cuisines. Even when she is traveling, she loves to try and eat different food items. She relishes various exotic dishes especially which are Italian, Hyderabadi, Mediterranean, or Spanish. She likes to read the writings of P G Wodehouse. She also enjoys gardening a lot. She says that she is a gardening person and that gardening for her is rejuvenating as well. she likes to bring back seeds and plants from places where she travels to. She also has 2 children. One son, Samarth, and the other one her daughter, Divya. They both are also involved in the business in different roles. Despite her growth in the country, she says that she has a bigger plan for the future.
She wants to target the international market as well. she says that the first country that she wants to target is Europe.
