Dixita Pranay Dakalia - The Entrepreneurs of India Magazine - Edition 36

The Zewel Works does not start in a boardroom, but inside the quiet thoughts of Dixita Pranay Dakalia as she attends school and college. She was already drawn at the time toward something larger than the usual way. But life brought her marriage, motherhood, and fourteen years spent entirely within her family. During those years, she put her heart into raising her children, but there was still a fire in her. The result of that fire was eventually Zewel Works, a name in ethnic fashion jewellery and accessories to celebrate both tradition and uniqueness.

For Dixita, jewellery was much more than ornaments. It was all about expression, identity, and the profound cultural roots of Indian heritage. She perceived ethnic jewellery as a reflection of power and beauty and as a representation of women of all generations. What started as a silent dream quickly turned into a business, not just to fulfil her creativity but also to demonstrate to her children how to follow a calling.

The decision to be an entrepreneur was not an easy one. Returning to the workforce after years as a homemaker was a battle against self-doubt at every turn. Society also doubted her choice, questioning why she would start at this age in life. She knew, though, that she would lose the opportunity if she waited too long. She was fired by passion and perseverance. Age or background does not determine potential, she says, it is simply a matter of how strongly you believe in yourself.

Things did not go smoothly at the beginning of Zewel Works. Dixita’s routine was spending a day at home, taking her children to school, doing chores, and finding time to work on her growing business. Supplier research, design considerations, branding, and packaging studies often stretched late into the night. Small victories became her source of motivation. Gradually, even her family adapted to her not being a housewife, and as time went by, their support increased.

Like all business people, she had times when she felt like giving up. Failures on orders, plans not going through, or days when she was so exhausted she couldn’t make decisions made her second-guess her path. But each time she considered throwing in the towel, her thoughts came back to the greater purpose. Her children, Prishika and Vandit, were watching. She wanted to serve as a role model to them, to show them that dreams are achievable even later in life. Her husband, Pranay, was extremely instrumental in serving as her emotional anchor, calming her during the storms and helping her discover strength within herself whenever she felt off guard.

There were also challenges associated with being a woman entrepreneur. Women are expected to play all the roles for others but not their own. Combining the responsibilities of a wife, mother, daughter-in-law, and entrepreneur pushed her boundaries. At work too, she was not easily taken seriously. Credibility was something she had to earn, as she lacked a corporate background or years of business experience. She achieved it with consistency, patience, and quality.

Her values in business have been influenced deeply by her upbringing. Being raised in a Jain family of Gujarat and married into a Marwadi Jain family, the principles of integrity, simplicity, and resilience were instilled in her. And a Vadodara Girl married to a small town Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh Boy, she carried with her a blend of traditions and perspectives that shaped her outlook. The designs are her roots as well. The jewellery reflects rich Indian culture with a modern touch that attracts women who love tradition yet desire a sense of modernity.

Academically, she also holds a Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) and a Masters of Human Resource Management (MHRM), which gave her strong fundamentals in management, people skills, and organisation that later supported her entrepreneurial pursuits.

Her greatest casualty has been time. She missed family events, free evenings with her children, and even sleep in the process of building her brand. But she sees these sacrifices as seeds of inspiration for her children, demonstrating the importance of ambition and perseverance. Over time, she also learned to prioritize better and to allow herself to seek help. Delegation, balance, and self-care became significant resources on her journey.

The worst moment in her life was when a big order collapsed and she questioned everything. But rather than letting it destroy her, she used it as a lesson. She understood that failure does not define identity. Entrepreneurship is resilience. It is getting back up after every fall.

There were financial and uncertainty challenges as well. Dixita began small and grew organically, reinvesting all of her initial profits into expansion. She turned to books, online courses, and networking to combat her lack of self-belief. In the absence of a roadmap, she created her own.

Her family played a very important role. She has been guided by her father, Shri Pankaj K. Shah. His struggles, belief in her, and the values he taught made her strong. Her husband encouraged her to think bigger, and her children provided courage and never-ending inspiration with their innocent belief in her.

Women who venture into the world of entrepreneurship are still misunderstood by society. When a woman follows her dream, many assume she is abandoning her family. But more women such as Dixita are proving that both can be nurtured. To be ambitious does not mean abandoning the people you love. It means broadening your identity without losing affection.

Through Zewel Works, Dixita provides women with jewellery that makes them feel grounded, luminous, elegant, and strong. She wants each piece to represent pride and inner strength rather than just being an accessory. It is her way of honoring the spirit of women who balance convention and reality.

To those women who are torn between life and dreams, she has a simple message: There is no right time. Begin where you are. Being a good mother, daughter, and wife does not mean being false to yourself. Dreams are like wings to her.

She speaks with a certain degree of genuineness as a womanpreneur. In her opinion, nobody should wait to be given permission to pursue a calling. By doing what she loves, a woman is not only transforming her own life but also creating a path of hope for others.