Hands-on heiresses!

They belong to thesisterhood of the glamorous, wealthy and beautiful women who belong to a worlddelicate and fragile, where life’s a razzmatazz of diamonds, brands andwine-soaked soirees. But, they are more than just pretty faces. They have allthe riches that money can buy, yet believe in charting their owndestinies.Whether it’s Faiza Seth, who escaped marriage at 12to later marry the man of her choice and set up her dream business, or otherslike Sumaya Dalmia, who followed her mother-in-law’s example as a woman ofsubstance, these women have lived out their passions.They havestepped out of the safe cocoon of a famous last name, as Payal Abdullah says,“It’s not for those who are driven.” The wife of J&K chiefminister Omar Abdullah, she works full-time as the head of NGO Rahat. “Theworld is full of opportunities. Why let go of a chance to prove yourself?”Take the case of Faiza, the daughter-in-law of the Pearlpet business house thatalso runs Pearl Academy of Fashion across the country. The 31-year-oldLondon-based Faiza has an MBA degree from Stanford to go with her head-turningfigure! As the CEO of Casa Forma, she designs homes for the very rich, includingthe Qatar royal family. She’s also initiated a school for orphaned kids inHyderabad called Soham for Kids. A cool, composed Faiza discusses nutritionlevels in the meals for kids in her school as easily as the patterns forcurtains at the Sultan of Brunei’s polo club that she’sredoing.An ex-employee of Lehman Brothers and Morgan & Stanley,Faiza politely but firmly rejected offers from her in-laws and husband to jointhe family business. “There was always a craving to start something of myown. I wanted to succeed on my own terms.”“Successdoesn’t come without sweat,” echoes the perfectly curved Sumaya asshe strikes a regal pose in an heirloom chaise in her boho-chic ensemble. Thewife of Dalmia scion Rudra Dalmia, she says, “Swishing in and out ofboutiques and high-teas was not for me.” Even though her banker hubby setthe precedent for not joining the family fiefdom, Sumaya’s new family wasunsure of a Dalmia bahu being a fitness expert. A true blue Punjabi, she wonover her extended conservative Marwari family with fitness tips! A nationallevel basketball and swimming champion with a Masters in Clinical Nutrition andSports Science, Sumaya has worked hard, sometimes exercising six to seven hoursdaily along with her celebrity clients.These are women who’vebroken away from the family mould to pursue their passions. Asserts Faiza,“I might have the luxury of borrowing initial credit from the family but Iknow I have to break even. Business asks for profits!” Agrees Sumaya,“You have to prove yourself doubly because often your entrepreneurialskills are taken as indulgences.”“Nothing comes easy inbusiness,” says chef Shyla Khanna of shy2cook.com. Shyla’s kitchenis a flurry of activity as the entourage bakes a few dozen pies for a babyshower. Orders pour in over the telephone. Married into a Delhi-based businessfamily that runs C&S Electric Ltd with 3,000 employees in 22 offices acrossIndia, Shyla refused her husband Anuj’s offer to join them. “For 10years, I’ve been refusing his offer!” says Shyla, who started herown business of delivering homemade pies, cakes and desserts as a hobby atfirst. “I can proudly say that I have repaid the loan from my husband andplan to start a chain of cafes in Delhi.” Shyla is a trained Cordon Bleuchef who refused to join her father’s seafood exports company in Mumbaiand interned at Holiday Inn, Mumbai’s party kitchen, where she cooked for2,000 people and worked in the butchery section.These are rebels whorefused to cower to snide remarks and raised eyebrows, all for their passion.Says Sumaya, “I faced a tough time due to my working hours, but I remainedsteadfast.” As Faiza says, “A woman of substance ‘uses’her life... she isn’t a spectator.”