Welcome to this interview with Dr Kriti Soni, the Head of Research and Development at Kapiva Ayurveda. With over a decade of experience in the field of Ayurveda, Dr Soni is an expert in creating natural and authentic Ayurvedic products that cater to the needs of modern consumers. Join us as we celebrate the spirit of women in science and technology with Dr Kriti Soni, who is a true inspiration for women all over the world.
Introduction
JaanoAndSeekho: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
Dr. Kriti Soni: I am a researcher who has a Ph.D. degree in pharmaceutical sciences and I have been working on novel product development for more than 10 years. My research career started with developing nanoparticles for cancer therapy using photoactive along with their evaluation, characterization, in vitro, in vivo, toxicology and human studies. Thereafter I worked as Head, formulation development at Dabur Research Foundation for several years developing new products using differentiated technology platforms for nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals and ayurvedic products. I am currently working as Head, R&D at Kapiva ayurveda, which is a leading D2C brand for ayurvedic products. Here I am trying to develop some highly efficacious ayurvedic products for the masses.
JaanoAndSeekho: How did you get started in your career?
Dr. Kriti Soni: I started my career as Head, formulation development at Dabur research foundation, after completing my research. I started with setting up a whole new department which specialises in nanotechnology and differentiated formulations.
The formulations included various oral (tablets, capsules, gummies, powders, teas etc) and topicals (cream, gel, shampoo, lotion, sprays etc) and many others. The quality control and certifications of these products as well as regulatory aspect was taken care by me.
I took this entire thing as a challenge and am very happy to have delivered as per expectation of my organisation.
JaanoAndSeekho: What motivates you to continue to work and succeed?
Dr. Kriti Soni: For me work is worship, it keeps me going even when I am feeling low personally. My mother always taught me that “whatever you do in life, you do the best in class “This stays and will stay with me forever.
Balancing Work and Life:
JaanoAndSeekho: How do you balance your professional life and personal life?
Dr. Kriti Soni: I work hard whole week and spend time relaxing with family and friends over the weekend. I spend my weekends rejuvenating my soul and mind by indulging in activities which recharge me for the next week. This includes pampering myself with self-care, going out, reading, watching movies and spending quality time with family.
JaanoAndSeekho: How do you prioritize your time between work and family?
I try to pace myself in such a way that I have time for both. It involves lot of time management and work management which might seem very tricky initially but over time you get better at it. It needs planning with a clear head when you start your day.
JaanoAndSeekho: Can you describe a typical day in your life and how you manage to fit everything in?
My day starts with me getting up, doing house chores, planning my day by writing my to do list and starting my work. I try to give sufficient time to each task to complete my to do list, sometimes if more time is needed, I don’t mind stretching myself a bit to avoid spill over to the next day. While travelling back, I evaluate my day and things completed so that I plan well for the next day. After getting home I spend time with my family over dinner and talking of daily stuff. While doing all these, I try to maintain my nutrition in such a way that my energy levels are good throughout day. For this I keep hydrated, practice intermittent fasting, take antioxidants and have light dinners.
Health and Wellness:
JaanoAndSeekho: How do you take care of your physical and mental health while juggling multiple responsibilities?
Dr. Kriti Soni: I don’t really get much time for gym but I try to complete at least 10,000 steps a day, sometimes walking in between meetings or talking on phone while walking. Over weekend, I do go for walk in surrounding parks.
I observe intermittent fasting and detox in between when I feel like. I make conscious choice between the snacking options like having makhana, dry fruits, roasted chana or fruits while avoiding packaged foods completely.
I try to avoid sugar as far as possible. FOS is a healthy sugar free option for me.
For mental health, I try to do meditation at least 15 minutes a day. Additionally, I try to maintain my sleep schedule religiously. I do listen to music with soothes me while travelling, indulge in bed time reading at times too.
JaanoAndSeekho: What strategies do you use to manage stress and stay motivated?
I think about my priorities and give a deep thought regarding the stressful situation, if its worth?
I usually talk about it with people I trust the most, my family and sort it in my head and move ahead by either solving it or giving up on it.
JaanoAndSeekho: How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance to avoid burnout?
Dr. Kriti Soni: By taking small breaks in between, finding my ” me” time every day, how short it might be
Family and Relationships:
JaanoAndSeekho: How do you maintain a healthy relationship with your spouse/partner while also managing your career and family?
Dr. Kriti Soni: I think communication is the key. I try to share my experiences through the day when I am with them. I am not much of a phone person. I do remain in touch through messages to know about their whereabouts and keep going.
JaanoAndSeekho: How do you involve your children in your career and show them the importance of hard work?
Dr. Kriti Soni: Don’t have children but if I had, I will do the same as above
JaanoAndSeekho: How do you balance your responsibilities to your extended family with your career and personal life?
Dr. Kriti Soni: I try greeting them on family groups and attend family occasions and festivals. I do stay in touch with them checking on them.
Career and Success:
JaanoAndSeekho: How do you set goals for your career and measure success?
Dr. Kriti Soni: I evaluate my success based on
- Where I am financially
- Are all my needs getting fulfilled with my finances
- Where I am as compared to last year
- What new I have learned
- Whether I am happy with what I am delivering and achieving
JaanoAndSeekho: How do you balance the need for career advancement with the desire for work-life balance?
Dr. Kriti Soni: I evaluate this based on my goals and needs for my future. There might some imbalance once or more but then I try to make it up by taking some breaks.
JaanoAndSeekho: What advice would you give to other working women who are trying to achieve success in their careers while also managing their personal lives?
Dr. Kriti Soni: I will say, you need to have a very understanding family in order to do this. If they are not understanding then it becomes challenging but always prioritise your happiness and work towards cultivating that understanding and set expectations accordingly.
Conclusion:
JaanoAndSeekho: How has your experience as a working woman shaped your perspective on International Women’s Day?
Dr. Kriti Soni: I think, it’s always important to motivate other women around us to have their identity and independence. I was given that motivation by wonderful women when I was going through a low phase in my life and I try to motivate and help ladies around me in the best possible way as my dedication to those wonderful ladies whom I will admire and love my entire life.
Queens fix each other’s crowns; I truly believe and act on this.
I think it’s very important to infuse this confidence and keep reminding ourselves how strong and capable we are!
JaanoAndSeekho: What are your hopes for the future of women in the workplace?
Dr. Kriti Soni: I picture, women being strong and opinionated in the workplaces and have an equal seat at the table because let us just agree there is no other multitasker better than a woman.
JaanoAndSeekho: Is there anything else you would like to share with our audience?
Dr. Kriti Soni: I will say, let us not pay our respect to women in our society on a single day and forget it for the rest of the year but the true sense of promoting happiness in our society is by respecting our women each day for their contribution to every house and society.
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoyed the interview with Dr Kriti Soni. If you have any further questions or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your interest!
