Here’s a question Meghna Khanna kept coming back to: how did something as iconic as the bindi quietly fade into the background for nearly five decades? Growing up, it had always been there, on her mother and her aunts, woven into everyday life with an ease that did not demand attention but held deep meaning. It stood for tradition, identity, and a quiet sense of belonging. And yet, over time, it became predictable and almost invisible as a form of expression. That shift did not feel natural to her. It felt like something had been left unexplored.
Meghna has always been someone who notices what is missing. At 23, just a year into the corporate world after completing her master’s degree, she chose to step away and build something of her own. What followed was Levitate, a design store in Bangalore that she ran for 18 years, curating jewelry, craft, and design from across India. It became known not just for what it sold, but for how it brought together stories, aesthetics, and culture into one space. That phase shaped her instinct to look at things not as they are, but as what they could become.
So when she revisited the bindi years later, she did not just see tradition. She saw a gap. That instinct to fill what is missing became the foundation of her next chapter.
Changing the way women see themselves
But what Meghna is building goes beyond business. She realised early on that the challenge was not just about creating something new. It was about shifting the mindset. The hesitation she saw in women was not about the product, but about self-perception. “We are our biggest critics,” she says.
And that became central to her journey, encouraging women to accept themselves fully, to express boldly, and to feel comfortable being seen. The messages she receives today from women who feel more confident and empowered are, for her, the most meaningful milestones.
A defining moment came when Kareena Kapoor was seen wearing her designs. It marked a shift, not just for the brand, but for acceptance at scale.
Her journey has also pushed her into spaces she had not imagined, including appearing on Shark Tank India, an experience that challenged her comfort zone but expanded her vision.
Having spent more than half her life as an entrepreneur, Meghna sees this path as deeply personal. It is about creating your own direction, staying clear on your “why,” and continuing even when the road is not defined. With a strong support system backing her through challenges, she continues to build with conviction.
For Meghna, success is not just growth. It has an impact. She envisions a future where what she is building becomes a household name, where her work reshapes perception, and where something once overlooked becomes a powerful symbol again.
Because for her, this journey was never just about building a brand. It was about changing how people see something, and more importantly, how they see themselves.
