I’ll admit it, I was already in awe of her before I even met her.
It all began one afternoon, while I was scrolling through Instagram, researching vegetarian food options in Vietnam. That’s when I came across this beautiful, calm video of a girl walking through a bustling Vietnamese street, saying, “There’s actually a vegan food walk here!” She smiled as she spoke, gently busting the myth that vegetarians would struggle to eat in Vietnam. And as a pure vegetarian, I felt so seen. So reassured.
Her name was Nehha Nhata, and I wanted to know more.
I clicked on another reel. Then another. And suddenly I was in a whole new world of solo travel, scuba diving, healing from heartbreak, journaling, meditation, and reflections on how to build your self-worth. I found myself pausing and replaying. Her voice was steady, her insights real. And the more I watched, the more I admired her.
Then came the surprise, the kind that gives you goosebumps. I realised she wasn’t just a mindful traveller or spiritual voice online. She was also the powerhouse behind one of India’s most celebrated fashion labels, known for elegant pre-draped sarees, hand embroidery, and celebrity clients like Shilpa Shetty and Mouni Roy.
I couldn’t stop thinking. I have to meet her. I need to hear her story. Even if she’s way too busy, let me just try my luck.
And so I did. I sent her a message.
To my absolute joy, she replied warmly. We fixed a date to meet at Café Kathmandu in Calcutta, a soulful, cozy place that turned out to be the perfect backdrop for this conversation.
The moment she walked in, I was floored. Her energy was graceful but strong. Her outfit was effortlessly stylish, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her hairstyle — so polished, so distinctive. It was one of those haircuts you see on Pinterest boards and dream of pulling off someday. I was already in admiration mode, but now I was full-blown fangirling.
And then, she spoke, with such honesty, warmth, and depth that it felt like sitting across from a big sister you always wanted to learn from.
Nehha grew up in Calcutta, studied at Loreto House, and was always the creative one, the kind of child who saw the world with a slightly different lens. At 22, she joined Anamika Khanna, where she trained in the nuances of design, handwork, and timeless elegance.
Eventually, she started her own label, her dream brought to life with a clear aesthetic and a strong team. While her brand grew, her personal life quietly changed. She had known her ex partner for 17 years, and after marriage, moved to Shillong. But over time, she realised the foundation was cracked, and with courage and clarity, she walked away.
For the first time, she was single. Alone. And she didn’t know what that would feel like.
So she booked a solo trip to Goa.
One night at a restaurant, someone approached her and asked if she’d like to join their table. That woman was also going through a separation. Another had lost her partner. “It felt like the universe had chosen us to sit together,” Nehha told me. “We spoke about love, heartbreak, life, purpose... and suddenly, I wasn’t afraid of being alone anymore.”
That trip cracked something open. Since then, she’s travelled solo across the world and fallen madly in love with her own company.
She became a certified scuba diver, trained by an 80-year-old legend who once taught the Greek army. She ended up seeing 11 species of sharks under 20 dives and she was addicted. She now has over 180 dives under her belt, from giant manta rays to the humpback whale. But her favourite? Sharks. “I swim toward them,” she said, eyes shining. “They’re misunderstood. They’re intelligent. I’ve learned how to create vibrations in the water to call them closer. I make eye contact with them. It’s magical.”
Even while travelling for six months of the year, her label thrives because she plans everything using the IV method. “Break it down. List what you have, what you need, and act. That’s all,” she told me.
Her secret weapon, though, might be her sacred hours. Every morning from 6 to 9:30 a.m., she avoids phones, emails, and distractions. That time is for movement, journaling, quiet reflection. “Those hours build my day. They build me.”
She also believes deeply in owning your story. “People hide their divorces or try to erase painful chapters. But when you share it with strength, it becomes your superpower.”
And she’s passing that spirit forward through Story & Stranger, a soul-led initiative with another partner, where she’s co-creating, where strangers gather in small cafés to share stories, without judgment or gossip — just truth, connection, and heart.
When I asked her what brings her joy, she said, “New experiences. They keep your brain young.”
But then she told me something that stayed with me the most.
“Sometimes, on the flight back home after a trip,” she said softly, “I find myself quietly crying. Because something inside me has changed. I’ve grown. I’ve had moments I can’t put into words. And I just sit there thinking… wow.”
And honestly, that’s what I felt too, leaving Café Kathmandu after our chat — a deep, goosebump-inducing wow.
Nehha Nhata isn’t just a designer, a traveller, or a diver. She’s an institute in herself, teaching us how to build a life we love. How to walk through fire, and come out stronger. How to enjoy your own company. How to whisper wow at your own transformation.
To every girl or boy afraid to begin again, let her story remind you.
You don’t need to be loud to be powerful.
You just need to be real.
And yes, this girl? She’s on fire!!!