BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE
Atlanta, GA, September 27, 2024: At the onset of 40, Divya Anand, who has been working as a Data Manager at Emory/Winship Cancer Center for nearly a decade, began to explore new avenues in pursuit of “novel concepts” that could refresh her mind, body, and soul. She found her answers in artistic jewelry, leading to the birth of Keyurah (translating to “graceful/jewelry” in Sanskrit). With her mind and body amply rejuvenated, Anand decided to tend to her soul by launching her nonprofit, Keyurah LIFE, which was introduced with much fanfare on August 11, 2024, at Reflections Hall in Cumming, GA.
“Keyurah LIFE was conceived with a mission to support and uplift women and children through advocacy, education, and storytelling, while generating funds for rare disease research and treatment, promoting mental and overall health, and advancing a safer, healthier, and more beautiful world,” Anand said.
Titled “Celebration of Womanhood,” the Keyurah LIFE launch, or Keyurah Star Night 2024, featured a fashion show and photoshoot themed ‘Kalyanam/Tyohaar,’ along with contributions to causes and recognitions.
The fashion show themed “Durga” showcased Keyurah jewelry, which aims to revive and support Indian artisans from north to south. It featured a variety of handcrafted pieces, from haslis and kundan jadau to kemp jewelry, along with their latest wedding collection, Parinaya. “Every girl is a Durga. Durga is not just a name; it’s beyond religion and tribe. It’s the essence of the whole tribe. We all stand together to create someone amazing and mindful. We narrate stories together, and we also connect with one another in the most mindful manner to bring more light to the world,” Anand elaborated about the theme of the show.
Being kind to one another during difficult times, Anand remarked, is the main goal of the platform. She also aims to feature life experiences and stories of different women in the community and honor them through her LIFE platform.
A rare disease charter was also launched during the Keyurah LIFE event, along with the revival of stories featured on their online platforms. “We honored the Cure Mito Foundation, and a check was handed to a representative, Kavita Ramachandran, who was also the champion for the Aadya campaign,” Anand said. Aadya Kiran suffers from a rare neurodegenerative mitochondrial disease, Leigh syndrome, which is characterized by severely progressive loss of mental and movement abilities (psychomotor regression) and is often terminal. Leigh syndrome has no known cure. Aadya’s story was featured in NRI Pulse a few years ago. Other stories include that of Noah, who was diagnosed with ADHD and suffered for many years until the family found support, and Sangeetha Anand, who is currently raising a son with Down’s Syndrome.
“Roseline from DrapeIt and Sangeeta from Pure Hearts of GA, along with many close-to-heart names, were supportive of our cause, including our lead pageant faces Juhi Rana, Veena Rajoju, Ramya Karuppiah, and Yasha Desai, who were part of our walk,” Anand said. Faces of Keyurah 2024 included Swapna Menon, Usha Prasad, Juhi Rana, Divya Anand, Yasha Desai, Rakhi Rajeev, Apsara, and Saumia Varghese.
Apart from rare diseases, Keyurah LIFE is also working with Aftertaste from Mumbai to empower women from economically disadvantaged communities, particularly in the Ambuzwadi and Malwani areas of Mumbai slums.
“Working alongside Shalini Dutta, who heads this wing, was a privilege,” Anand said. The organization is also in talks with multiple platforms that work with children’s mental health and women’s welfare in GA, including Noah’s Creations. Anand also highlighted collaboration with “Every Girl Shines,” which focuses on developing middle and high school girls by pairing them with professional women who will lead them to success. “The LIFE platform is very excited to invite Carissa Jones, Founder & Executive Director of Every Girl Shines, to our platforms in our upcoming December season,” Anand said.
“More fundraising platforms are on the horizon, and more exclusives are coming, both on the nonprofit front and in jewelry. There is a celebrity lineup of showcases currently being canvassed, and we’re excited for all the things we are planning for the future,” Anand concluded.
For more information, visit www.keyurahlife.org.
