Piyasree Dasgupta profiles six women, from lawyers and advertising professionals, to image consultants and art gallery owners and designers, who are worth making the headlines. Though there are miles to go, still these young women are probably what Kolkata is looking at tomorrow.

Kanika Ganeriwala
Kanika Ganeriwala looks straight out of the cover of some fashion magazine. Pretty, poised and almost perfect. The sort of perfection that probably makes you flinch at your split ends, the dated slim-fit denims and unflattering floaters. A sort of pristine perfection that probably translates into her work as the creative designer, art director and the marketing manager of Seed Designs, an advertising firm.

“We work in everything in print, from brand development to marketing. Our philosophy revolves around taking what our client had to offer as a seed and nurturing it to its growth,” says Ganeriwala.

The 26-year-old Loreto House pass-out went on to study design at the Parsons School of Design. “I’ve always had a flair for things creative and that’s how the decision of taking up designing as a career happened,” says Ganeriwala.

Following stints at Ogilvy & Mather (Mumbai) and TracyLocke (New York), Ganeriwala decided to hit home and start her own venture.

“I had the option of working in New York, but I decided to float my own company,” says Ganeriwala. And it was the challenges and charms of taking up projects that she strongly believed in that resulted in the formation of Seed Designs.

“At Seed Designs, we believe design is more of an experience than a compulsion,” explains Ganeriwala.

The most challenging bit that came with the creative freedom of going independent was making people take her seriously, especially at her age.

“Right from your creative knowledge to your business skills, you have to prove yourself from the word go. But I believe that is something that applies to everybody, irrespective of gender,” smiles Ganeriwala.

In roughly a year, Ganeriwala has designed campaigns for companies like the Aegis BPO of the SR Group, Onset, a retail store, Eden Growth and J D exporters, among others. And several others are in the pipeline.

From designing her own studio to dealing with clients with profiles as varied as real estate, export and retail, life post-Seed Designs has been one roller-coaster ride for Ganeriwala.

“This is one profession where your avenues are constantly expanding,” she says. However, it’s not always a joyride. “There are times it becomes very difficult to make people experiment, think out of the box,” she says.

Though she doesn’t feel the existence of gender bias, Ganeriwala does believe in sharp business and fulfillment of commitments.

“We position ourselves as a boutique studio. Seed Designs will have a stronger global connection with clients based in London, Paris and New York. We have also meticulously planned a corporate social development project and intend to expand it, once the results of the endeavour are out at the end of the year,” she adds.