Interviews

Shaina NC is an achiever in the real sense of the word. Her name is in the celebrity list in the fashion world, political world and the social activism scenario. She is the spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party who is known for the maturity and wisdom with which she combats her opponents in debates on news channels, she is known for the commitment with which she takes up social causes and she is known for her innovative fashion creations. In fact she blazed a trail in the fashion industry when she was just 18 years old. Shaina came up with 54 ways of draping the sari and was hailed as the Drape Queen. Her name figures in the Guinness Book of World Records for the fastest drape of a sari. Her attraction for fashion designing came quite naturally from her observation of her mother Munira Chudasama who pioneered the boutique trend in Mumbai by opening the Golden Thimble boutique at Kala Ghoda in Mumbai at a time when the boutique culture was new to the city. A student of Political Science and Law her entry into politics at the age of 31 was not unexpected. Her father Nana Chudasama an eminent jurist is very well known for his strong political views. Likewise her interest in social activism also came naturally as her father became the founder of the NGO Giants International.

In her chat with Better Kitchen she reveals how she has progressed to the position she now occupies. She is a foodie but cooking is not her forte considering the fast pace of her life. Her children and her husband who comprise her close knit family mean the world to her.

Read on to know more about the multi faceted beauty.

Her journey
I am a student of Political Science and Law. I entered the fashion industry when I was 18 years old. At that age I did not realise that I would pull off the feat of draping the sari in 54 different styles. When you are just 18 even draping a sari in one style could be daunting. So I went on to be known as the Queen of Drapes. At the age of thirty one I entered Politics and contested the Maharashtra State Assembly election. In 2004 I joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. I have been into social activism for a long long time. It is a kind of family legacy I inherited from my father and I truly enjoy working in that area. So it has been a satisfying journey.

What thoughts the word KITCHEN inspire in her
I am a foodie and I dream of my next meal all the time. I like a clean kitchen more than a fancy one.

About cooking
I prefer eating to cooking. I have an excellent cook who experiments and comes up with new healthy recipes and gives us all one delicious meal after another. Her name is Sunita and she is my lifeline.

Her Family
My kids are my stress busters. My daughter is sixteen and my son is ten. Lazing around with them and watching television with them is relaxing
for me.

Her kitchen
We have a convenient kitchen and we have had our say in its designing vis a vis the ventilation etc. I am not one for kitchen gadgets.

Eating out
We love to try street food. We go to restaurants that we have tried out and some of them are very popular among the food lovers of this city.

Her food habits
I eat a lot of fruits. Mangoes berries etc. I have a good metabolism. My husband is my role model in maintaining good health. He is very health conscious.