I started Ikai in my final year of high school. It’s a silver jewellery brand inspired by the life stories of women in Pune, India. Each piece takes its symbols from those stories. In the first collection, the Philomina Collection, a star stands for strength and resilience, a lotus for beauty, and a pendant engraved in Hindi reads “break the cycle.”

Ikai is built on one idea: jewellery with proof, not just promises. Many brands talk about doing good, but it’s often unclear where the money goes. With Ikai, 25% of the profit from the Philomina Collection will go to The Harbour Society, a named NGO that supports women and children connected to safe houses in Pune. A QR code on every package will link to the donation record, so customers can check what their purchase funded.

For the past year I’ve been working on the business side of the brand. That has included research into consumers and the market, a business model, pricing and costs, packaging, and a launch strategy. Nothing is for sale yet. I’m still building the foundations so that when Ikai launches, the story, the product and the impact all hold up.