PROMOTING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BETWEEN INDIA AND THE U.S.
Since she could start dreaming, Rachna Chandra has always aspired to be a fashion designer. She learned sewing from her mother and in classes at her high school in India. After she migrated to the U.S., Mrs. Chandra began a small sewing operation out of her basement. Now the founder and owner of the full-fledged Indian bridal boutique, Taj Cottage, and having recently watched her designs walk down the runway at New York Fashion Week, Mrs. Chandra is living her dream.
Drawing upon her rich reservoir of creativity and strong sense of philanthropy, Mrs. Chandra wears many hats. She was Adjunct Faculty at Henry Ford College, spearheading their industrial sewing program. She’s worked for the automotive industry, designing soft trims for automotive interiors. She ensured Taj Cottage’s active role in delivering handmade masks to hospitals, individuals, and NGOs during the pandemic. She is co-Founder of Detroit Indian Women Association (DIWA) where “empowered women empower women”. She is also a board member of Glamorous Mom Foundation, an NGO that supports women, children and families in dire circumstances. She dissuades young entrepreneurs from allowing others to tell them what can and can’t be done. “Be your own boss, and it’s okay if not everybody likes you. You’re not pizza.”