The multi-talented and multi-faceted Jacqueline Kapur dons many hats with practiced ease.

She is a mother of two, a homemaker, an Equestrian sportsperson, a businesswoman, and much more. Jacqueline Kapur was born in Germany and moved to Pondicherry in 1989. She started Hidesign’s garment division in 1989, and started one of India’s first multi-brand department stores, and started the youthful accessories brand Ayesha Accessories with her daughter. Sharing her mantra for a balanced life, she advices, “Do what you do with passion and compassion. If you are fortunate and brave enough to be able to make your passion your work, there will be no difference between life and work.”

Talking of her passion, she says, “My biggest passion is horses. I started an equestrian centre 18 years ago in my home town Auroville.” Being a series-entrepreneur, Jacqueline also started a guesthouse in the riding school, which is built out of recycled shipping containers. And, her latest endeavor is a restaurant/cafe/bar in Pondicherry called PY Café which promises to be very ‘instagram able’ with all décor and fixtures being upcycled. Giving her perspective on the changing times, she says, “unfortunately we are still at the beginning of a long road to gender equality in the boardroom. Whenever I attend a retail conference I am shocked to see that at least 90% of the guests are male.” But as they say, a start has been made.