THE BRAND-BUILDING BLUEPRINT
In the India we live in, people like Niveda Ravikumar have embraced
entrepreneurship as a creative and cerebral path that impacts society for the good.
The co-founder of Bliss Natural, a sustainable, eco-friendly brand selling women's
hygiene products explains how
Words by Sonali Semwal
The incredible Indian landscape is buzzing with entrepreneurship that is trendsetting, market-driven, consumer-centric and global both in appeal and standards. What we are witnessing is a foray of Indian brands, our answer to the Western world, a strong response and counter to competition across industries from fashion and beauty to travel, FMCG, health and wellness and sustainability-led future-forward niche ecosystems. A much-needed narrative which is home-grown, home-made for a nation that thrives on the engines of culture and value systems.
Why do we need foreign brands to dominate our markets and influence our household habits when we have the resources and the intellect to yield the ‘Made in India’? And to add to the big Indian story, we have women entrepreneurship at the forefront giving us alternatives, innovations, inventions and solutions that we must celebrate with pride, for their value and force.
Niveda Ravikumar is romanticising purpose and passion but not at the cost of profits; hers is a compelling case study for aspiring women entrepreneurs. She has co-built Bliss Natural, a period care brand with Rs 8.5 crores of annual revenue in the year 2025, with just eight years to the institution. The idea to create gentle-on-skin, eco-friendly sanitary napkins, was conceived in Coimbatore as a college project with Gowtham S. It utilizes kenaf, a fibre cultivated in India, offering a highly absorbent, biodegradable, coarse material as a healthy alternative to petroleum-based plastics. The innovation behind the brand secured significant government grants and resources to build it further into a successful business model to cater to domestic markets, thereby increasing market presence. Niveda’s growth not only shows an upward graph but also communicates an emotional and inspirational tone, demonstrating that business sustainability can triumph from cultural thinking and purpose.
During our conversation on a Saturday morning, a few points are accentuated clearly; she rejects the victim narrative associated with female entrepreneurship, or ‘women can finally break free’. Instead, she draws attention to women’s resilience as multitaskers, their inherent capability, hard work and commitment. The conversation with the co-founder, who believes if there was an eighth day to the week she would dedicate it to building her brand, subtly but coherently depicts Niveda’s perception about giving it all to establish to business.
To support this discussion, Niveda Ravikumar shares that financial understanding, product development, market communications and trust with consumers are imperative for entrepreneurship, but what it requires more beyond the basics is discipline, a quiet rebellion, and a larger purpose that you are serving.
Her days are usually hectic, but Niveda does not let the activity dampen her energy. She asserts that starting with an idea is one thing and building a brand is another. She and her co-founder may have started with an idea that received several awards, recognitions, and monetary support, but what it takes to build the brand year after year is a totally different gamble. It also is not gender-specific; it is unrelated. You require discipline, work ethics, family support and the right resources, and for her personally, the process should be enjoyable and not a burden. When asked about her big wins, she smiles widely and says that she would like to give herself credit for choosing self-funded growth over investor pressure and demands. “It was an important decision. Funds are crucial; every brand requires them for business growth, but sticking to a self-funded approach helped us keep the brand organic, culture-rooted and consistent with our strategy,”
says Niveda.
“Women entrepreneurship requires no special skills. You learn on the job, you learn with every trade and transaction; men do the same. Financial skill, for one, is crucial for any entrepreneur. If women in general lack financial management, then learn it, adopt it and make it your most important priority,” Niveda tells us assertively. Despite building a successful brand, she enjoys the journey more than celebrating the title of a successful entrepreneur.
Bliss Natural holds a wider market presence in the south of India, thousands of happy customers, a strong product-innovation portfolio, a value-driven human resource, an impact-focused founding team and a culturally intrinsic modus operandi. What we take from this interview is that women entrepreneurship has taken a steady ascent with strong credentials of business understanding, ethics, intent, aspirations and the big idea of making a difference.
From high-revenue rural-based business models, to grassroots-focused campaigns, sustainable enterprises, tech-based ventures, community platforms and heritage brands, women entrepreneurship has come into power on its own merits. It is no more a missing-market situation for women, not a charity case for big corporations, a scare for investors, or a campaign for governments. It is no more a niche; it is at par with businesses owned by men, equally visionary, successful and transformative.
Ananya Birla launching Birla Studios for diverse and meaningful cinema, Claire Mazumdar being picked as successor at Biocon, or Priti Adani announcing large-scale women entrepreneurship support with the Swabhimaan programme, the recent announcement of the Delhi government with Rs 10 crore collateral-free loans for women-led startups, and women leaders in the AI and green-tech sectors – stories of entrepreneurship are on the right track, but need stronger mandates, a faster pace, increased entrants and wider engagement. Founders like Niveda Ravikumar are not only flipping the script but doing so in a segment with impact of great magnitude and stimulus.