There have been many significant turning points in my life. But the biggest one perhaps was my move to New York in 2000 after getting married. Living in New York has been a vastly different experience from just travelling to the city for a holiday, which I’d done a few times before. Since the city is a melting pot of cultures and traditions, I imbibed a lot not just in terms of fashion but also sensibility, world cinema, world cuisine and world culture. Though I live in New York I visit India frequently.

Having a baby was the other big moment in my life. I can vouch for the fact that motherhood has been the best thing to have happened to me and nothing can substitute that feeling. I went on a learning curve and in the process I unlearnt quite a few things. Which means that I had to alter my lifestyle and give up many things in order to be a good mom — but that’s all part of being a mother. I am a much softer, yet ironically, a much stronger person post-motherhood.

Recently when I trekked 17,000ft above sea level in Uttaranchal towards the Johar Valley, I touched another milestone in my life. It was a huge accomplishment and a high, given that I have been always very passionate about trekking. But I had to put trekking on the backburner after my daughter came along. But now that she is six years old, I have decided to go trekking regularly. It’s my resolution to keep trekking till I can do it no more.

(As told to Arundhati Basu)