Enterprisingly Yours In Life And Work
Together for over seven years now, this Pune-based entrepreneurial couple believes life is for living and taking those risks. After all, they’ll have you know: security is just a state of mind and entrepreneurship entails taking that one mighty leap of faith. Over to Sunanda Verma and her significant half Amit Bhatta on what it takes to make dreams work
It is not often these days that a college romance fructifies into wedlock. Corporate Citizen unlocks the story of love that has culminated into marriage, for we believe in the stability of a relationship and family unit. We bring to you real-life romances that got sealed in marriage
“Cooking is more his thing while cleaning is mine. We don’t really believe in gender specified responsibilities, instead, each of us does what we enjoy”
- Sunanda
The recent lockdown on the backdrop of the COVID-19 scare had both Sunanda and Amit engage in some serious brainstorming on how to operate in a post-COVID work. “Not only did we spend quality time together, but also used the time for strategising a few things,” says Amit.
This would possibly include the prospects of The Daftar, a co-working space that Sunanda runs along with another partner, as well as Tcha.co, a startup owned by Sunanda and Amit. While The Daftar started a few years ago, Tcha.co is an utterly novel move to organise the chai ka tapri culture in India. “Typically speaking, setting up a chai ka tapri is something that people don’t see as a lifestyle...but it could be, considering we are a nation that loves to bond over tea-coffee and snacks. What we do is to bring in the element of brand management, sales, and marketing, a layer of technology and standardising processes apart from bringing in a new revenue model, various platforms, including a tea van, e-commerce, and corporate tie-ups: this will help scale up operations, bring in a diverse clientele and give them better visibility,” they say. “At the end of the day, entrepreneurship is about investing your efforts and creativity in an idea whose time has come.”
All of life is an adventure when your partner andyou are both explorers at heart.
Back to the beginning
This love story was first scripted on the campus of IMDR, a management college run by Pune’s reputed Deccan Education Society, where they were both studying towards an MBA. While Amit had come all the way from Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, Sunanda is the quintessential Punjabi girl from Delhi. But as it happens, college campuses tend to be quite the melting pot of cultures, bringing people with seemingly little in common in close proximity. “I remember being taken aback by him,” shares Sunanda. As is it happened, the year had just about begun and all the students had been instructed to study their notes and bring them to close. “The professor, being a stickler for discipline, asked those who hadn’t brought their notes to stand up. I stood up and so did a few others, including Amit.” The professor then asked them what he ought to do with those who had disobeyed him. “Amit replied that students like us shouldn’t be allowed in class, picked up his book and walked out. I was dumbstruck by his boldness, I mean who does that?”
“I was just trying to do the right thing,” shrugs Amit. Gradually, the duo began to hang out together as they had several friends in common. By the end of the first year, both began to spend time by themselves. “As part of the course, we went on a six-month student exchange programme to France. It was there that we got to know each other. By the time we returned, we realised we were meant to be together,” says Amit.
Pretty much a case of opposites attracting each other, the differences in personalities only served to complement their equation. “She was innocent, and in many ways protected. Nevertheless, she has a beautifully open and receptive mind and is ever open to trying out new experiences,” he says. On her part, she enjoys the “strength and positivity” he brings in his wake. The conversation flowed and seamlessly at that. “We hiked, trekked, tried out various adventure sports together and we talked. Both of us enjoy the outdoors and fresh air, we never were the type of couple that enjoyed typical dates in a cafe or at a movie theatre,” grins Sunanda.
However, given the cultural differences between the two, their parents were none too pleased. “For about a year, it was the classic stalemate as shown in the famous Bollywood film Two States,” smiles Amit. “But we stuck to our guns and gradually allayed their fears.” Slowly but surely, the families gave them their blessing in 2012.
The mantras of marriage
- Shared goals
- Respect
- Acceptance
- Communication
“It is the acceptance that helps you move beyond the hunky dory, romantic stage. Knowing your partner and accepting them with their strengths and shortcomings is key to a marriage”
- Amit
Let the good times commence: Akanksha andAnkush at their wedding celebration
The building blocks of marriage (and a business)
Post marriage, both took up jobs in Pune. While Sunanda worked in brand management for a pharmaceutical company, Amit worked for the management and coaching centre, Chrysalis. But the wish to strike out on their own was too strong for the duo to resist for long. It started with Sunanda setting up The Daftar along with another partner, an experience she found hugely rewarding. Gradually, Amit too, gave up his job to work towards their company Tcha.co.
So what do they have to say about the rough and tumble entrepreneurship-not to mention the lack of fixed income and the security it represents? “Security is simply a state of mind,” says Sunanda. Amit couldn’t agree more. “Entrepreneurship is a wonderful tool that allows you to build on your dreams, take onus for your decisions as well as enjoy what your efforts bring in. If you are willing to work hard, cut back on the excuses and give it your all, the money will follow,” he says.
Sunanda and Amit believe acceptanceis the cornerstone of a rock-steady relationship
Life is generally hectic but happy as they are actually living it on their terms. Plus, when it comes to the home space, both pitch in. “Cooking is more his thing while cleaning is mine. We don’t really believe in gender specified responsibilities, instead, each of us does what we enjoy,” says Sunanda.
After so many years, they are mutual about rooting for acceptance as the cornerstone of a marriage. “It is the acceptance that helps you move beyond the hunky-dory, romantic stage. Knowing your partner and accepting them with their strengths and shortcomings is key to a marriage,” says Amit.
Like every couple, this one too has managed to evolve a simple technique of dealing with conflict. “When one person is angry, the other must keep quiet,” says Amit. “You need to wait a bit for things to cool down before putting in your two-bit. Meaningful communication happens only when both are ready and willing to listen to others’ viewpoint.”
Bringing up babies (only not just yet)
“So yes, people do ask me all the time when we are planning a baby,” smiles Sunanda. “I just point to our projects and say we already have our arms full-for the moment.”
Amit adds that while they aren’t averse to it, work takes centre stage as of now. “When we are finally ready to experience parenthood, we may well just decide to conceive or adopt, whatever feels right then. A child is a child, biological or otherwise,” he rounds off.