The Dynamic Duo
Suraj Vaidya talks about his life, his family and the contributions he hopes to make to change the face of Nepal. When he is not taking care of his responsibilities as the president of FNCCI he’s at home cooking for the family. He says it runs in the family and is glad that his son Suryansh is following in his footsteps. He is married to Ritu Singh, executive director of Toyota and founder of Spa Prana. Suraj and Ritu share a great chemistry and like most, they have a brilliant love story to tell. “She somehow stood out from the rest of the models who had come from India for a show here in Nepal,” says Suraj. “I noticed him from the beginning, he was very sweet and smart,” responds Ritu. After winning the first runner up Miss India Universe in 1991 she was amongst the top ten finalists at the Miss World pageant which was held in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1991. She also won the second runner up title at the Miss Asia World pageant. She opened her own boutique after she moved to Nepal and is now engaged in her new business project, Spa Prana.
Suraj Vaidya
HL: Three most influential persons in your life?
My dear father who was my mentor and my friend, my wife Ritu whose positive vibes make me stronger each day and my children Sabrina, Savana and Suryansh who show me the reason why things are good and can be better in the future.
HL: Three most influential persons in your life?
My dear father who was my mentor and my friend, my wife Ritu whose positive vibes make me stronger each day and my children Sabrina, Savana and Suryansh who show me the reason why things are good and can be better in the future.
HL: How much do you credit your wife for your success?
My wife has been a big part of my life; she has changed things around for me and my family. After the death of my first wife I was devastated and went through the darkest phase of my life and it was Ritu who brought me back to life and made me see the better part of the world. She stood by me through the good times and the bad. She constantly supported me during the FNCCI elections waking up at odd hours in the morning; she was with my father when he was sick. She is a great mother and I’d like to say that she has made my life so much easier.
My wife has been a big part of my life; she has changed things around for me and my family. After the death of my first wife I was devastated and went through the darkest phase of my life and it was Ritu who brought me back to life and made me see the better part of the world. She stood by me through the good times and the bad. She constantly supported me during the FNCCI elections waking up at odd hours in the morning; she was with my father when he was sick. She is a great mother and I’d like to say that she has made my life so much easier.
HL: How can you contribute more towards national issues besides business?
Being the President of FNCCI, we speak beyond business; we talk about development for the nation. It’s an extremely challenging time right now. Inspite of all hopelessness I see tremendous opportunities in Nepal. Nepal is a very rich country with tremendous capacity if focused in the right direction and therefore, my contribution would be to change the mindset of the people that we are a poor country, to change the way politicians have used economic development in terms of poverty alleviation. My success would be measured by creating enterprises and opportunities in the remote districts of Nepal. That, I believe, is the challenge and the change I can make keeping the overall perspective in mind.
Being the President of FNCCI, we speak beyond business; we talk about development for the nation. It’s an extremely challenging time right now. Inspite of all hopelessness I see tremendous opportunities in Nepal. Nepal is a very rich country with tremendous capacity if focused in the right direction and therefore, my contribution would be to change the mindset of the people that we are a poor country, to change the way politicians have used economic development in terms of poverty alleviation. My success would be measured by creating enterprises and opportunities in the remote districts of Nepal. That, I believe, is the challenge and the change I can make keeping the overall perspective in mind.
HL: When do you think Nepal will see better days?
Nepal is already seeing better days. You don’t get to understand joy unless you’ve suffered. You don’t understand happiness unless you’ve been through pain. I believe that with all the negative experiences that we’ve had, Nepal with its bright young future; it’s only a matter of time. Nepal is not as bad as Afghanistan; it’s not as bad as Libya or Syria. There are other countries going through much more difficulties and we need to appreciate as a Nepali that we’ve got the best and we need to grab that opportunity and move forward. Things may look as though they’re crumbling but when we compare in real life we’re still a lot better and we can be better. I’d like to see the half full cup and that we’re half way there.
Nepal is already seeing better days. You don’t get to understand joy unless you’ve suffered. You don’t understand happiness unless you’ve been through pain. I believe that with all the negative experiences that we’ve had, Nepal with its bright young future; it’s only a matter of time. Nepal is not as bad as Afghanistan; it’s not as bad as Libya or Syria. There are other countries going through much more difficulties and we need to appreciate as a Nepali that we’ve got the best and we need to grab that opportunity and move forward. Things may look as though they’re crumbling but when we compare in real life we’re still a lot better and we can be better. I’d like to see the half full cup and that we’re half way there.
Ritu Vaidya
HL: Could you recall some of your best memories of Miss India days? Did it change your life?
I was amongst the 82 contestants in the Miss World pageant and it was a wonderful experience being there and getting along with the ladies from diverse backgrounds and cultures. It’s an experience in itself and that is something that I will always cherish. At such an early age I was modeling and travelling and I got to see and experience a lot of things which would not have been possible if I hadn’t been a part of the pageant. I was the face of my country, representing the nation in various international events and press conferences. It truly refined and matured me as a person.
HL: Could you recall some of your best memories of Miss India days? Did it change your life?
I was amongst the 82 contestants in the Miss World pageant and it was a wonderful experience being there and getting along with the ladies from diverse backgrounds and cultures. It’s an experience in itself and that is something that I will always cherish. At such an early age I was modeling and travelling and I got to see and experience a lot of things which would not have been possible if I hadn’t been a part of the pageant. I was the face of my country, representing the nation in various international events and press conferences. It truly refined and matured me as a person.
HL: Do you think you have sacrificed personal interests to be a businesswoman now?Not at all. I was 19 when I participated in the international pageant. I always knew from the very first start that it wouldn’t last forever. I’ve enjoyed thoroughly and I consider myself fortunate to have reached that level at such a young age. I always wanted to get into business. There was so much more that I wanted to do and modeling was just a part of it.
HL: How long did it take for you to settle down in Nepal? What future do you see for the country?
I made a conscious decision to leave India and all that I had accomplished so far. It was rather unsettling for me in the beginning and took me a year to finally feel the possibility of settling down. I used to travel back and forth and at some point I had to put an end to my frequent travels so I minimized my travel and my work in Delhi. Once I started making adjustments, it didn’t take much time to make Nepal my home because I had a dedicated husband who made my life so much easier and a family who supported me all the while. Nepal is improving in many ways but I just wish the work culture here would change. And, I think that starts from the politicians and leaders who are responsible in providing better education, business and employment opportunities. It just needs the right kind of environment and things will change.
I made a conscious decision to leave India and all that I had accomplished so far. It was rather unsettling for me in the beginning and took me a year to finally feel the possibility of settling down. I used to travel back and forth and at some point I had to put an end to my frequent travels so I minimized my travel and my work in Delhi. Once I started making adjustments, it didn’t take much time to make Nepal my home because I had a dedicated husband who made my life so much easier and a family who supported me all the while. Nepal is improving in many ways but I just wish the work culture here would change. And, I think that starts from the politicians and leaders who are responsible in providing better education, business and employment opportunities. It just needs the right kind of environment and things will change.
HL: With Spa Prana running successfully, what other ventures have you in mind?A destination spa resort or a boutique hotel is definitely in the pipeline. It’s something that I’ve always wanted and I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
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