Slovakians traditionally believed pure water is the world’s first and foremost medicine. Are your thoughts also on these lines?
“Absolutely!”, Anju Devadas, Co-Founder and CEO, Pānīya, endorses with a smile and adds. Like Jacques Cousteau had once wisely reminded us, we forget that water and life cycles are one.
Water is the only one among the five natural elements that is consumed consciously of one’s own volition. Constituting about 60% of the body, the variance in quantity and quality of water consumed has a direct impact on the health and well-being of the body. It has a significant impact on the health of bodily functions ranging from metabolism to brain function.
However, natural source spring water with a natural constituent of minerals has become increasingly scarce. Consequently, Reverse Osmosis (RO) water has proliferated in recent times. The problem though is that RO water has a fundamental inadequacy as a source of nourishing drinking water due to a lack of essential minerals and salts in it.
So, what could be the solution?
Warming up to the problem at hand, Anju shares on the optimal approach that eventually led to the creation of Pānīya – Spring of Life
Pānīya is water! In Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita, one of the classic texts of Ayurveda, Pānīya is described as the Spring of Life of all living beings. The spring of life that gives one good health, radiance, and beauty.
Anju further adds, “What gives me much joy is that every facet of Pānīya was born out of what I dearly cherish and believe in. Good health and radiant beauty coupled with a sensitivity to cherish, protect, and preserve what is truly valuable.
Unsurprisingly, Pānīya has fast grown to become an essential and dear part of my life, quite like one’s own child.”
Pānīya recreates water that is identical to the taste profile of natural spring water with an alkaline pH level of 8.5+.
Owing to a serendipitous sequence of events, it was conceptualized as water that contains the natural goodness of spring water created in a controlled environment using a proprietary formula. After pilot runs in the market that promised end-consumer acceptance, Pānīya was formally launched in November 2022. Since then, Pānīya has found wide acceptance in most of the leading resto-bars and hotels in Chennai.
Anju mentions, “My husband Rajiv and I both have a deep-held conviction in sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle and business practices. We were conscious of the alarming quantum of plastic waste generated on a daily basis.” Furthermore, landfills pollute water tables in cities.
This led to Pānīya’s Core Value of Sustainability
Pānīya incorporates elements of sustainability in all aspects of its design, production, and logistics. A zero-tolerance for plastic and non-sustainable processes is a key value.
In 2022, Anju and Rajiv set up a bottling plant within the city limits. Green glass bottles were chosen to both retain the properties of the mineral-infused water and recycle them. Other elements in the packaging of the bottle, including tin caps and paper labels, making Pānīya plastic-free and sustainable.
“Since the launch of Pānīya, we now sell about 50,000 bottles a month to our discerning customers,” shares Anju with a sense of satisfaction, adding that they are naturally deeply appreciative of the enthusiasm and support received from both internal and external stakeholders. “We also feel encouraged with recognition in the form of awards given to Pānīya by business forums in India and abroad.”
“We hope for Pānīya to have a wider footprint and market acceptance in the times ahead. More importantly, we hope every consumer will enjoy the taste and rejuvenating freshness of Pānīya -Spring of Life” she states, looking ahead.
Creation of Pānīya
An unexpected turn of events during the onset of COVID-19 led to Anju’s move back to India after a decade and a half of living overseas. “This led to a period of uprooting and disruption all around, for me and for the family,” she states.
However, upheaval and disruption were not unknown experiences to Anju. The passing of her father at an early age had led to her taking up family responsibilities at the age of 19. This shaped her attitude to deal with such disruption with pragmatism while also being hawk-eyed about spotting any opportunity.
Pānīya was conceived and launched despite the challenges that COVID-19 brought in Nov 2022.
The Path Ahead for Pānīya
Pānīya finding a place in the best-appointed tables in most of the major metropolitan cities across Asia is an inspiring goal that drives Anju. While still in its nascent stages of growth, Pānīya has managed to gain traction in local markets and is in the process of being launched in identified regional markets.
Strengthening Pānīya’s association with good health, wellness and beauty will be at the heart of its campaigns in any market.
The Story of The Woman Behind Pānīya – Anju Devadas
Anju Devadas hails from Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India. Her early years were strongly shaped by her father, who was a successful entrepreneur in the 80s and 90s. “My father’s eye for combining robust functionality with refined aesthetics coupled with a philosophy of working hard and playing hard became a lasting influence,” remembers Anju, who is an economics graduate with diverse working experience in HR and Sales in India and the Philippines. She took a plunge into entrepreneurship due to certain unexpected and transformative events.
Personal Aspiration for the Future
Anju says she would like to play her role in encouraging women to follow their dreams with conviction and make them manifest as reality, particularly by creating avenues to mentor women entrepreneurs. “I feel I would be fulfilled if, in any measure, I have helped women choose happiness in their lives by giving form and shape to their dreams,” she concludes.
