Many of you might know Priyanka as cricketer Suresh Raina’s wife, but we’re here to highlight her individuality today. She is a philanthropist, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Maate, an all-natural baby wellness brand.
Born and brought up in Ghaziabad, Priyanka has a B.Tech degree in Information Technology from KIET, Uttar Pradesh. Right after graduating, she worked as an IT Professional at Wipro Limited for 2 years.
Interestingly, she moved to the Netherlands to work as an IT consultant at Accenture. She then went on to work as a Product Owner at ING, a Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation for six whole years. If you’ve ever heard her speak English, congrats, now you know where her unique accent comes from.
Startup Story of Maate
Being a mother of two, Priyanka is certainly well aware of the struggles that motherhood brings along. With the goal of making motherhood a tad bit easier for women, Maate was established.
“Maate was born out of a quest of a mother”, she says. “As a mother, I searched the market for products I could trust and use for my own children.”
While exploring the market, she started researching ingredients that work for children and met up with experts in the field. Eventually, her love for her children met with her newly found passion for the wellness market space, and Maate was born.
The number 9 gets to play a huge role in any mother’s journey and Priyanka, along with her husband, co-founded Maate on the 9th day of the 9th month in 2019! According to us, that can’t be a coincidence!
What is Maate?
Maate is a toxin-free natural baby wellness brand heavily inspired by Ayurveda, the traditional Hindu system of medicine which largely focuses on a holistic approach to health.
Maate’s products are made without chemical intervention and are delicate on your little one’s skin. Every child deserves tender care, and with products ever so gentle and mild on the skin, Maate is carefully crafted to deliver authenticity.
Their products range from baby hair oils to Ayurvedic healing balms and whatnot. Moreover, they are delivered to you with the cutest packaging ever, only adding to the beauty.
Her deep connection with her brand stems from the fact that she has two adorable little kids named Gracia and Rio. Fun Fact: Rio, her 3-year-old son was born on 23rd March 2020, the beginning of the horrendous lockdown. Priyanka recalls being so tensed about the whole pandemic-covid-lockdown situation that she went into labour the day the lockdown was announced in India.
Environmental Consciousness
Along with taking care of your child, Maate also makes sure to take care of the environment. “The biggest gift we can give to our children is the planet which can help kids grow healthy and happy, and as a responsible parent and brand owner, I wanted to take care of the sustainability factor in our brand,” says she.
Maate has made consistent efforts to reduce carbon footprints by using glass for containers. For the little amount of plastic that they need to use, they ensure it is 100% recyclable. The cartons they use are made from certified paper and high-grade chemical-free ink. They’ve thought of it all.
Gracia Raina Foundation
In addition to being a nifty businesswoman, Priyanka’s always been one to empower women. She, along with Suresh Raina, founded the Gracia Raina Foundation way back in 2017 intending to empower women by educating them about reproductive and sexual health, as every woman deserves to be taught about reproductive health from an early age.
“I wanted to help underprivileged women who don’t have access to the right healthcare and information,’ says she. “We opted for a lifecycle approach to educating women way before they get pregnant. It’s very important that we start young,” she adds, talking about the importance of early reproductive education.
The foundation also conducts medical camps in underprivileged areas and educates children about all things healthcare. They offer various programs including gender sensitisation which focuses on educating men about maternal health care and allows them to be more sensitive towards women and their battles during the entire process of childbirth and beyond.
Maintaining a Healthy Work-Motherhood Balance
“Once you become a mother, you also get a special talent for multitasking”, she says. Being a mother and an entrepreneur, staying organized, creating to-do lists, and planning ahead really helps her.
Priyanka says that she now prioritizes herself, her work and the people closest to her heart and has also learnt to say no to things she can no longer accommodate. “If you’re not happy and healthy yourself, you cannot raise a happy and healthy family”, she adds.
