“I was born and brought up in Hyderabad, living the life of Middle Class Ammayi. Basically, I’m a food technologist by graduation, Software Engineer by profession, Photographer by passion and Entrepreneur by choice. From an early age, I had a deep interest in business and nurtured dreams of starting my own venture. However, as I embarked on my journey through food technology, the least expected happened: I found myself on a path toward a career as a software engineer.

Life, as it often does, had a series of surprises in store for me when all I wanted was financial stability at that moment. Just like that, five years flew by, as I honed my skills and navigated the corporate landscape. However, deep down, I realized that life had much more in store for me, and there were countless experiences waiting to be explored.

It was at this juncture that the spark of entrepreneurship ignited within me. With a friend, I embarked on a journey to set up our enterprise, SWA-YUM. Together, we embarked on a mission to manufacture instant/ready-to-eat foods, including instant chutney mixes, dosa mixes, dal mixes, rasam mixes, and more. We have been and are still facing the numerous challenges in setting up the new venture from the scratch.

Transitioning from a well-paying job to entrepreneurship requires immense courage. I’ve left with no one who missed to ask me why did I leave my job. And there comes the indian relatives with earful of gossips. The world is very dangerous when your thoughts are very small, so always think BIG. It’s always the thought that is simple. However, the emotions it triggers can be fatal. So, emotional balance is the key point in any success.

Being a woman, turning 25, single, jobless, roaming out in the wild in the name of Photography, and starting a new venture in the name of entrepreneurship takes a lot of hustle from inside and pressure from outside. All we can do is ignore others and just live your life as you want. In a world where nothing stands still, learn the art of standing still for yourself.!!!

As an Osmanian, I had ample exposure to the nature and that is where my interest in photography ignited the sparks to fire. For more than five years, I captured the world around me using just my mobile phone. People used to think that I’m wasting my time on mobile photography and least did they know that I’m investing my time to make myself happy. It was during this period that I discovered the immense satisfaction that photography brought into my life. I explored various photography niches, from wildlife to product photography, and the joy of capturing the tiniest of details never ceased to amaze me. Anybody can capture the photographs, but not everyone is the photographer. Photography is as simple as it is complicated.

My journey in photography reached a significant milestone when my work was exhibited at a Photo Exhibition on World Photography Day in 2023. I actively engage with the photography communities in Hyderabad, like “Photowalks Hyderabad,” where I expanded my expertise across various genres, including street photography and portrait photography. Additionally, I dedicated my talents to covering photography for the NGO Kaam4u.
I always find my solace in the serenity of being alone and travelling to explore new cities. I love solo travelling as people who accompany me on trips wouldn’t wait for me to struggle to get that perfect shot in the wild.
If I could offer one piece of advice to anyone, it would be this: “Hey, you!” Stop looking for ‘the one’. You’re the one. Everyone else is the ‘other one.’ Just believe in YOU!”

• Soundarya Vardhaman – Founder of Swayum_india, Passionate Photographer