Queen of all, master of one
She loves to multitask. She is a trained classical dancer, interior designer, writer, social worker and plays the role of a wife and mother to two teenagers with élan. Shallu Jindal is much more than MP and polo player Naveen Jindal’s wife. She represents the contemporary woman, who is powerful yet humble.
Although born into an affluent Punjabi family, Shallu had a very simple upbringing in the small town of Ludhiana. The absence of television, computers and video games meant a lot of time with the family. She loved to dance as a child. Kathak was her favourite dance form and she mastered it, after which, she turned to Kuchipudi, 12 years ago.
After marriage and kids, I got involved with my husband’s business and my own work. I thought I would never dance again. But once during a trip to Tirupati temple, I spotted my gurus Raja and Radha Reddy. I went up to them and introduced myself. After a
month, I got a call from guruji and he invited me to be his disciple. I joined them soon after. It was as if Lord Tirupati was showing me a path,” she says.
Shallu had an arranged marriage. “There was no courtship per se, however 19 years of marital bliss later, it’s still very exciting to be with him. He is an achiever and a consistent performer yet so caring and down-to-earth. With each passing moment, our love and respect for each other is growing.”
Apart from her dance and philanthropic work, Shallu is even working on a book for children and currently researching the same. “It’s a book about understanding India through English alphabets. Children understand more through visual media so the emphasis will be more on pictorial presentation. For example, in the book, A stands for Ahimsa; B for Bravery and so on,” she informs.
She also loves to collect modern Indian art. The creativity of artists like G.R. Iranna, Sohan Qadri, S.H. Raza among others adorns the walls of her opulent house. Her fascination for good things extends to fashion as well. A big fan of Fab India and Indian textiles, she loves to wear creations by Kolkata-based designer Anamika Khanna. “I like Anamika’s design sensibilities. She is one of the best Indian designers,” she reveals.
A vegetarian, she has a weakness for Thai food, which is full of rich herbs, spices and appeal to her taste buds. “Thailand tops my list of my favourite travel destinations, primarily for its hospitality and vibe. I also enjoy shopping for cotton dresses at the Thai flea markets. Goa comes second. A walk on the beach is rejuvenating and relaxing. You don’t have to stress about dressing up,” she says.
Right now she has her plate full with social initiatives, community development exercises and an upcoming Kuchipudi recital in Malaysia. So where does this superwoman get the energy from? “I do yoga, dance for two hours every day and go for walks in Lodhi Gardens. I am addicted to this stress busting exercise. The day I miss it, I feel extremely stressed,” she sums up.