Founder, Needledust and SAND by Shirin An entrepreneur and winner of 35Under35, WEF Women of Excellence 2019 and the Digital Women Awards-Ecomm 2020, Shirin Mann Sangha was a boarding school student originally from Chandigarh, who went on to pursue a Master’s degree in International Journalism from Cardiff University, Wales, United Kingdom. Upon returning to India, she started working as a crime journalist with a Delhi NCRbased investigative paper. But it was in 2013 when Shirin went searching for the perfect pair of juttis to go with her wedding outfit that she discovered her love for them. In 2014, she started Needledust when she put up her first collection on an e-commerce portal, it was sold out within seven days and today top Bollywood celebrities swear by the brand. Her most recent venture is her fashion label SAND by Shirin which offers clothing inspired by minimalism, fluid fits, and handcrafted finesse. These days Shirin enjoys watching Christmas movies on Netflix. When it comes to lavish meal she makes her way to Zuma, Dubai and Babette in Marbella, “As a designer, to create my ideas and designs into a tangible product for the world to see is the biggest luxury.” Shirin Mann Spain. Her most valued possession includes her wedding ring and an old vintage bracelet that has been passed on from her grandmother to her. Talking about her inspirations she shared, “My greatest inspiration is having conversations with people around the world. It gives me the greatest ideas when I am designing a new collection. The locals that I meet when I travel that create beautiful handicrafts in different countries around the world inspire me.” Her piece of advice for all young entrepreneurs, “Take that leap of faith. No idea is too small or too big to realise it, go ahead and take that chance on yourself. You never know what impact you can create and the impact you have.” Master of Wine; Founder & Director, SoHo Wine Consultants, Sonal Holland Wine Academy & Vine2Wine Retail From founding a wine academy in 2009 to launching a wine retail business named Vine2Wine at Foodhall, Sonal Holland’s contribution to the wine industry in India has been remarkable. The Sonal Holland Wine Academy, which completed 10 successful years in the business of wine and beverage education launched its online arm with a multitude of world-class courses aimed at hospitality professionals, students and enthusiasts who are keen to build their knowledge and skills in the domain. Since the pandemic, Holland’s company has curated experiences and celebrations around wine digitally, helping people connect and form meaningful networks through thought-provoking content. In 2016, Holland became the most decorated wine professional in India when she was bestowed with the world’s most prestigious wine title, Master of Wine (MW) with a present count of only 416 MW’s across 31 countries and as the first and only Indian to have done so. In addition to the Master of Wine title, she also holds the Level 4 Diploma in Wines from the LondonHolland added yet another milestone to her professional career; she was conferred an advanced certification in Saké and Shochu from Tokyo... Sonal Holland based Wine & Spirits Education Trust, a Diploma in Hotel Management from the Institute of Hotel Management in Mumbai and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. In February 2020, Holland added yet another milestone to her professional career; she was conferred an advanced certification in Saké and Shochu from Tokyo, Japan awarded by the Japan Saké and Shochu Makers Association and Japan Saké and Shochu Academy. 56 | | 57
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