I spent six years of my childhood in northern India, in the foothills of the Himalayas. Meditation was part of daily life, woven alongside play, friendship, and time spent outdoors. We were surrounded by the jungle, mountains, colour, and stories — building dams during the monsoon, trekking to high peaks in the summer, huddling together in winter and constantly finding ways to entertain ourselves. That sense of joy, adventure and collectivity shaped who I am and continues to inspire my approach to painting.