Our illiteracy is what's most killing. If I had a way I would educate each and every person in this country.

While on the other hand there is such peer pressure on kids. This has massive drawbacks. You know stuff like -- 'My mom will freak if I did this or did not do this'. I spent three years through college not knowing what I wanted to do.

I just chanced upon hairdressing and realised how I loved working with hair. It is so interesting to change people's looks and personalities. So I went for a year's course to Los Angeles and then worked for another year at a Korean salon there. It was such fun.

I decided to return because India is my home. The hair dressing business has also become very exciting. I think there is going to be a boom in hair and fashion industry in the next five years in India.

India is such a wonderful mix -- it is primitive, earthy, interesting, it has great food and has great potential. There is also a kindness in India that you may not find elsewhere.

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What amazes me most about India is that in spite of our illiteracy, poverty, population and politicians, there is always hope. If all of us had given up hope, our country would have come hurtling down 10 years ago.