“Patience is the key to lasting fitness. There are no one-stop or overnight solutions. Several things – such as your sleep patterns, diet, and stress levels – play an equal and important part in achieving overall wellness. I am now learning to be more in tune with my body and to trust my instincts.”
India’s next-gen entrepreneur and the heir of Infosys co-founder and CEO S. D. Shibulal, Shruti Shibulal, has launched a 30-room boutique property in Coorg. A partner of two restaurants in Bangalore and owner of a resort, Tamara, Shruti’s vision is to expand Tamara as a countrywide chain.
Having done her schooling in Bangalore and her undergraduate at Haverford College, Philadelphia, Shruti went to Columbia University for her business school.
Today, as the CEO and Director of Tamara Leisure Experiences, Shruti is working towards her dream of making Tamara synonymous with responsible tourism. With her resorts and hotels based out of South India, she also has plans to expand in Germany.
Shruti is also the Trustee of Advaith Foundation and SD Foundation, where she is involved in providing educational opportunities and healthcare to underprivileged sections of the society. She is also the Trustee of WEP, the Women’s Education Project, which works towards empowering women from vulnerable backgrounds. Moreover, she is on the Governing Board of ATREE, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment.
An entrepreneur at heart, Shruti also launched SAATHIYA, a hospitality skilling program that helps youth become more employable within the restaurant and hotel industries by helping with industry-relevant skills. Regarding the course of her journey, she says,
“I think you just have to get a perspective. You just have to sit down and accept that I can only do so much. Accepting that and doing the best that you can. I don’t think the guilt totally goes away. I really don’t. I think I’ve struggled with it too, on a daily basis. But it helps if you have mentors who have your back.”
Shruti has also introduced Lilac, a service apartment brand, that plans to expand from South Bangalore to Bangalore and Madurai. Another prestigious project in her portfolio is Palma Laguna in Alleppey, a luxury serviced villa known for blending traditional Kerala naalukettu architecture with modern architecture.
Shruti believes that the key to having a successful business is to invest in staff and make sure they are happy and well-cared-for. This, in turn, makes sure that the guests have an extraordinary experience during their stays. Her only advice to busy entrepreneurs is to understand that the journey, even though tough, is always rewarding with the right support.
Looking back, Shruti owes her success and lessons to her parents, S.D. Shibulal and Kumari Shibulal, for teaching her how to maintain work-life balance and the importance of giving back. She also emphasises the need to have a fit and active lifestyle to have a fulfilling life as an entrepreneur, no matter how busy you are.
