Welcome to our section on Real Women—where we bring you stories of and conversations with real women who inspire us, who have changed lives and given back to the community. Today, I’m sitting with Rachana Gupta—Co-Founder of Gynoveda, the world’s 1st #FemtTech that combines Technology & Ayurveda to solve menstrual problems. Watch the fun & informative session on dismantling period myths, offering accessible, authentic solutions & listening to your inner voice.
A FEW SNIPPETS FROM THE LIVE SESSION HERE
Adarsh: Hello Rachana! Welcome to the session!
Rachana: Hey Adarsh! Good to see you! Thank you for having me here today.
Adarsh: It’s a pleasure having you here. To start off, tell us a little about Gynoveda & the inspiration behind it.
Rachana: Gynoveda is the world’s first digital platform combining Ayurveda & Technology to solve period problems. The entire need came from my passion to do something in the space of women’s menstrual health, coupled with the joint forces of my husband Vishal (also the co-founder) & a third partner Dr Aarati Patil. I call myself an ‘accidental entrepreneur’. I spent a decade in the corporate world & lead large teams, especially women-centric teams. I realised that when it comes to menstruation, there’s a lot of hesitation in talking about it, let alone seeking help due to a fear of judgement. I saw women get affected by period problems which impacted their health, productivity & the ability to live life on their own terms. Which is why we believe in giving help & support that’s non-judgemental & non-invasive.
Adarsh: That’s really inspirational, Rachana! Gynoveda also helps women in taking charge of their menstrual health. How does that work, given how menstrual health is a taboo in Indian society?
Rachana: Like you rightly said, one factor is taboo & the other is accessible, authentic, solution-based information. And of course, our conditioning that it’s okay to have period pains, mood swings, etc. which are myths that need to be busted. Gynoveda’s platform is based on DIY—we’ve built the world’s first Period Bot, through which women anywhere in the world can take a test by answering 23 questions & the Bot identifies specific disorders. This test is a prognostic before diagnosis.
The first step is taking the test. Then there’s a range of Ayurvedic formulations which are specific to these problems, such as for PCOD, vaginal discharge, etc. Then there’s the doctor’s support, which helps women from remote parts reach out to experts. It’s a model of problem identification to offering solutions.
Adarsh: That’s very impressive! Any parting words for the women watching this?
Rachana: One thing which has worked for me is listening to your inner voice. There’s so much noise around us that when we want to do something, it’s important to zoom out the noise & clutter and listen to your inner voice. That’s the voice which is brutally honest & tells you which direction to take to make you the best version of yourself.
