Aashna Khurana - Director, Karma Lakelands

A brief overview of your company and the industry you operate in.

As a company, Karma Lakelands embodies sustainability and hospitality in an original way. It is a space designed to nurture more trees while fostering patron affection through distinctive stays on 235 acres.

Tell us about yourself, your journey as a businesswoman, and the experiences that have shaped your path.

My journey started with a simple idea: to establish my own path away from the family business. My ambition was to become a magazine editor since I recognized that my foundation was key to elevating our family enterprise. During my time at Vogue and later at Clarks, I made my mark on the marketing world. My father encouraged me to join him despite my success.

The feeling of pioneering something unprecedented compelled me to join before officially joining. Karma Lakelands was thus introduced to the world through a social media page. As we have progressed from those early steps to where we are now, it has been an upward trajectory. While we’ve achieved much, our story is only just beginning.

What are the core services offered by your company?

The essence of Karma Lakelands lies not just in its residents and hospitality but also in its commitment to sustainability. Through unusual green spaces, a rarity in Delhi, NCR, we seek to foster the happiest residents.

Likewise, hospitality invites the world to a place where everyone effortlessly contributes to making a positive difference. Each space is uniquely designed to ensure our clients never replicate their experiences.

How do your solutions or offerings address specific challenges within your industry?

The most significant solution often lies in simplicity, overshadowed by trends. Karma Lakelands addresses a crucial aspect of becoming an eco-friendly brand through seemingly small actions. Our brand was established out of a passion for promoting ecological balance.

With five restaurants, we meticulously segregate waste, turning vegetable scraps into valuable manure for our farm animals. Additionally, eschewing plastic and opting for eco-friendly takeaways are just a few of the numerous steps we take—an inch towards a larger solution and a stride to preserve Mother Earth.

What sets you apart from your competitors?

My creative flair for styling has been instrumental in crafting distinctive and unconventional solutions for this brand. Despite lacking formal design education, my lifelong passion has driven me to glean inspiration from travel, treating the world as my canvas.

From overseeing marketing transitions, spanning newspapers to social media, I drew on my education from the University of Arts. While education is crucial, Karma stands as proof that passion and continuous learning can chart unique paths. This approach has enabled me to design each villa, room, and space with its own distinctive character.

What personal and professional values guide interactions and operations at your organisation?

My personal and professional principles, which shape my approach to work, stem from the fundamentals instilled during my upbringing. Despite my dad having multiple cars, some of my most cherished trips were when he borrowed a driver’s bicycle to drop me off at school, instilling the importance of humility regardless of one’s possessions.

Furthermore, witnessing my mom’s transition from having everything to managing unfamiliar responsibilities after my parents’ divorce taught me the significance of adaptability for women to progress and thrive in ever-changing times.

Define success in your journey. Highlight milestones, achievements, and recognitions that have marked your path.

I once spoke to a friend about Karma Lakelands, and they were clueless. Then, on another day, I overheard a group at a random restaurant excitedly discussing their trip to Karma Lakelands.

That moment truly encapsulates our journey from where we began to where we are now. To name a few of our accomplishments in the recent past,

• India Travel Awards 2023 for Best Destination Wedding Resort – Karma Lakelands Golf Resort, July 2023

• MICE AFFAIRS Business Awards 2022–23 for Best Golf Resort Delhi NCR 2022–23, August 2023

• Awarded as the Best Private 9-Hole Course in India by the Golf Industry Association in October 2023

• Today’s Traveller Award for Excellence in Hospitality, October 2023

• Propulse Sports | Expo 2024 for Best Eco-Friendly Golf Course, October 2023

Reflect on the challenges you faced during your journey. How did you and your team overcome these obstacles and learn from them?

Starting out, it was evident that despite my current leadership role, it wouldn’t be handed to me—I had to earn it, and it wasn’t an easy journey. I can almost hear you thinking, “In your dad’s company, right?” It took time to carve out my space and rightfully secure my position.

As a petite woman, overcoming misconceptions about my age was a challenge, but proving my worth paved the way. I’ve learned the value of recognising individual uniqueness, providing opportunities, and encouraging growth—it’s not just beneficial for people, but it also fosters organisational development.

What advice would you offer to aspiring women entrepreneurs and professionals?

I’d encourage every woman to defy stereotypes and aim for success. Amidst the luxuries and privileges we enjoy, I occasionally pause to reflect on women who had nothing, yet achieved everything.

Women who walked miles to hospitals in sickness and those who gave birth without formal care. Women are powerhouses, and it’s crucial to remember this strength and keep striving forward.