At the start of 2020, when most of us were busy vacationing and celebrating the advent of the new year, little did we know that we would be forced to remain in the confines of our homes for the remainder of the year. When social-distancing adopted the cloak of a ‘new normal’, traveling became a dream we saw going only farther and farther from ourselves. It seemed unimaginable to even step out of the house without paranoia taking over, let alone travel to the places our hearts longed to call home. But with the help of the internet, travel blogger and entrepreneur Kamiya Jani came to our rescue when she took to Armchair Travel - that quite literally translates to you sitting in the safety of your house, as you explore new places virtually with her and when things get better, maybe actually get inspired to make that trip!
Meet Kamiya Jani
A former business journalist, producer, and television anchor, Kamiya Jani has previously worked with ET NOW, Bloomberg TV and CNBC TV18. Then how come she found her passion to travel and make a living out of it, you ask? Well, for Kamiya, traveling was a hobby she developed early on when she went on family trips. In fact, she claims that wanderlust is rather genetic to her, courtesy of her father who is an avid traveler. So, when the corporate life began robbing her of this simple pleasure of life, she decided to quit the media job and carry her 10 years’ worth of professional experience to found Curly Tales – a food and travel platform offering the best of them both.
“Ever since my childhood, I have had this strong desire to see this beautiful world, every nook & corner that nature has created, and see how people live differently in different parts of the world. By 18, I had seen quite a few places in India with limited budget. The experience taught me that you don’t need big bucks to see the world, you just need to have a strong desire. So after having worked in the corporate world for 10 years in various news channels as a producer & a news anchor, I felt like now I should pursue my passion to travel the world, ticking one place at a time from my bucket list.”
Thus far, Kamiya has traveled to 40 countries and 123 cities, only for the rest of the world to be an abode for her wild and free spirit. You can see her stroll through the streets of Ulhaasnagar exploring Sindhi food with YouTuber Ashish Chanchalani or interview most-loved celebrities like Radhika Apte and Virat Kohli on breakfasts and brunches. Over the years, Curly Tales as a platform has gained immense prominence and today, it boasts a thriving community of 878K loyal subscribers!
Values and influences
As the daughter of an auto-rickshaw driver turned business tycoon, Kamiya has had a humble upbringing. “Finding joy in simple and inexpensive things has been the biggest takeaway from my childhood,” she explains. Growing up in a family that just needed a reason to have fun and celebrate every possible moment, she has found a reason to smile or laugh even amidst adversities, knowing the life shouldn’t be taken too seriously. As the mother of a young daughter herself, Kamiya, too, is passing onto her the generational values of following your passion and being sincere with your efforts. She describes her purpose in life as “to have fun without hurting anyone.”
Kamiya’s biggest inspiration also happens to be her mother, who she says, has played a big role in shaping her to be who she is today. “She has inspired me to be a better version of myself every day or to go after and pursue my dreams without feeling guilty about the same.”
“My parents describe me as the most sincere and hard-working child, always striving for the best. And while husband would call me driven and passionate, my daughter would probably describe me as someone who is fun as we often have our dancing sessions, for no reason!”
The art of visual story-telling
A passionate traveler and an on-screen personality, Kamiya has mastered the art of telling visual stories. “I love to spruce up a dry video and make it meaningful and enjoyable,” she quips. She derives a lot of satisfaction in doing so and also thoroughly enjoys learning new things. “I don’t think I have ever felt like a know-it-all. So, there’s this constant perseverance to learn and discover new things!”
A late-sleeper and early-riser, Kamiya has been reading the Journey of Souls and watching Criminal Justice. She loves keeping up with the recent trends and ardently follows many travel accounts on Instagram. When asked which one is her favorite, she says, “I don’t think I can name one. There are so many beautiful inspirations around all the time!”
We also ask her how does she deal with the pressure of performing better than before and she says:
“It’s strange but I don’t feel the pressure much. I don’t do it for anyone but myself as I truly enjoy it. So yes, I am always striving to get better at my skills but I set my own benchmarks, mostly achievable so I don’t feel the pressure as much. On days when I feel lost or a bit demotivated, I tune in to some motivational or spiritual podcasts/videos and feel recharged.”
Superpower as a woman
Just when different avenues are opening up for women, Kamiya believes that it is her multi-tasking skills that help her excel at her work. “Be it house-work or office work, multi-tasking helps in both and allows us to do things with perfection!” In the coming time, Kamiya is looking forward to traveling freely again given her will and passion to explore beautiful places – both known and unknown.
Her parting message is a sweet note to the readers and an emphasis on Self-Love!
“I am sure AmrutamFamily members love themselves. This is why they go an extra edge to take care of themselves! Keep at it and shower yourself with lots of love while striving for what you want from life. After all, self-love is the best!”
More on #AmrutamNari
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- Aanchal Malhotra, Oral Historian & Author
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