I grew up in Jodhpur and my childhood was spent in the zenana section of a very active cultural environment. Every other day a man selling attar, or a man selling brocade from Benaras, would come by and all the women of the house would get together and pore over the wares. At that time, though, I had no inkling that one day I would become a designer myself.

At home, we were always moving from one ceremony to another. What is interesting is that in Jodhpur every ceremony comes with not just its own set of rituals and dress codes, but also with its fixed colours. So, specific rituals call for specific dresses as well as specific colours.

The zenana section practically controlled the entire household. It was the place where all major decisions were taken. That’s probably why I still lead an ultra-disciplined life! I did not realise it then but now I understand why it is important to stay connected with your roots and family. It helps you to respect the value system and not lose sight of where you come from.

Initially, I went to the army school in Jodhpur which got bombed in the 1971 war. I remember standing on the roof of our house, holding my father’s little finger and watching these planes hover over my school and drop the bombs that demolished it. It was an unnerving experience, something I’d never want a child to see.

I remember a hundred bombs fell across Jodhpur that day. It changed a lot of things for me. I was immediately sent to Mayo College for there weren’t too many schools left in Jodhpur that hadn’t been damaged by the bombardment. Boarding school at that early age came with its share of naughtiness and I can easily say that I spent some of the best years of my life at school. Even today, I have a few good friends from my childhood days, and when we meet, we still have a great time.

As a kid I did everything that children my age do — studying, playing, fiddling around with electronic gadgets. I indulged in a lot of sketching.

I loved reading as a child, a habit that has stayed with me over the years. As for music, I used to like listening to Cat Stevens.

I also travelled quite a lot as a young adult. But there were several incidents that have not been very pleasant. Once, many years ago in Paris, I remember staying at a youth hostel where all my travel papers got stolen. But I knew who the thief was so I managed to get them back!