Richa Kar: The Woman Who Gave India Confidence

When Richa Kar founded Zivame in 2011, she wasn’t just starting another e-commerce venture. She was challenging one of India’s oldest taboos women buying lingerie openly. What began as a simple online store soon turned into a cultural reset, giving Indian women the freedom to shop without embarrassment and the confidence to own their choices.

Born in Jamshedpur and educated at BITS Pilani and Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Richa’s journey wasn’t easy. Before Zivame, she worked with retail giant Spencers and learned how the fashion and lifestyle markets operated. During her stint at a global lingerie brand, she realized that Indian women had very limited access to quality lingerie or even the comfort to discuss it. That thought sparked the idea that would redefine women’s fashion retail in India.

When Zivame went live, India wasn’t ready. Talking about lingerie was seen as uncomfortable, even shameful. But Richa knew that the problem wasn’t the product it was the mindset. By creating an online space where women could explore, learn, and buy privately, she removed the fear of judgment that came with walking into a store. This subtle but powerful shift in behavior was what made Zivame a revolution more than a brand.

Investors were hesitant at first, unsure about how such a bold idea would fit into India’s conservative social fabric. Yet, Richa persisted. Her clarity of purpose and data-driven approach caught the attention of venture capitalists who later backed her vision. Zivame became one of the first Indian startups to mix emotional understanding with sharp business acumen, paving the way for other women-led ventures in the e-commerce space.

Under her leadership, Zivame expanded beyond online sales, creating fitting lounges and digital campaigns that encouraged open conversations about body positivity. She didn’t just sell products, she sold confidence, reminding women that comfort and self-expression belong in the same sentence.

As Zivame grew, it inspired a new wave of entrepreneurs to build startups around social change. Richa Kar became a name synonymous with courage and leadership in Indian business. Her journey reflects what modern entrepreneurship in India stands for breaking norms, finding gaps, and turning ideas that make people uncomfortable into businesses that make them confident.

Today, even as Richa has stepped away from day-to-day operations, her legacy continues. Every startup that dares to talk about the untalked topics in India carries a bit of her spirit. She didn’t just give India a lingerie brand; she permitted it to feel comfortable in its own skin. And that’s a kind of growth every entrepreneur dreams of inspiring.