Hyderabad, February 15, 2024…. Young FICCI Ladies organisation organised a unique session, “Design Your Story” in the city on Thursday at Hotel ITC Kakatiya, Begumpet.

The session featured two distinguished speakers who have significantly influenced the realms of storytelling and design.

One of the speakers was Karishma Mehta, a writer and photographer. Another distinguished speaker Riddhi Khosla Jalan, a prominent design influencer

They were in conversation with Arthi Shah, Chairperson of YFLO.  Karishma Mehta said the most important step was the first step when you begin.  The stories we curated and told not only enlightened the people but also impacted the lives of the people whose stories we told. We also raised money and helped them come out of their situation. One such situation was a lady with five daughters who was expecting a sixth one, hoping to be a boy. Her husband who was an alcoholic manhandled her.  She was hospitalised and her husband was sent to jail. Our story ensured financial security for them and we raised Rs 25 lakhs she shared. 

Another story was of Ali Bhai of Jammu Kashmir, who spent 23 years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit.  We have helped him, as well as, raised money to bail out women from sexual work.  Our stories made a huge difference to people, she narrated.

Riddhi Kosla Jalan told how twists and turns shaped her life for where she is today.  From interior designer to the owner of a kid's furniture store, she has now reached a place where she is known for her design influence.  My goal is to be among the best design influencers in the world, she said. 

Whatever you see me on  Instagram is 100% me, she shared.  She also shared how from being a designer she turned out to be managing media as a design influencer.  I invest in good quality people who help me manage my professional duties.  She advised her participants not to compete with contemporaries, but rather collaborate. 

Giving her opening remarks Arthi Shah, Chairperson of YFLO said let's embrace the convergence of these two worlds and explore how stories can be crafted and enhanced through thoughtful design. Both Karishma and Ridhi have exemplified the theme of learning, exploring, and executing in their respective fields, leaving an indelible mark on their audiences.

I hope this event inspires you to design your own compelling story, Arti said.

One of the speakers is Karishma Mehta, a writer and photographer. She is the founder and manager of the website Humans of Bombay and the author of the related book Humans of Bombay.

Inspired by the Humans of New York (HONY) website, the Humans of Bombay website carried the stories and lives of people in Mumbai. Humans of Bombay showed that every person is unique, inspirational, and relatable. It has successfully built a community of more than three million people who believe in the power of humanity.  Karishma Mehta started 'Humans Of Bombay' - a page that today has over a million followers on Facebook and twice as many on Instagram. She is also a freelance writer and TEDx presenter.

Another distinguished speaker Riddhi Khosla Jalan, a prominent design influencer, offers valuable insights into the creation of visual narratives and leveraging design for impactful storytelling.