by Here’s a mum who is a self-taught baker. She is an entrepreneur, an individual who bakes for fun, happiness and cares a lot for the canines too.
Meet Simran Oberoi Multani from Ovenderful who shares with Mums and stories, her journey into motherhood. She also proudly claims to be a mum to 3-year-old Arjan and to two dogs at home.
Apart from this, this interesting mum loves writing poetry and finds an excuse to escape to the mountains.
“I have been in a full time role for 11 years as a successful HR professional. Even now I take up HR assignments on freelance basis but baking and motherhood are very important in my life today. Baking was initially a hobby and after my son was born, while I did continue with my corporate role, I started feeling the lack of support networks and understanding that corporates have towards new mothers.
There was very little flexibility or help for those in nuclear families and at that time I evaluated my options of shifting out of a full time role. However, I was clear I didn’t want to take a complete break from working or doing something that helped me retain my financial independence as well as kept me involved in building a career in some form. That’s when with encouragement from lots of friends and family who had tasted my bakes, I decided to start focusing on growing Ovenderful into a commercial venture.
It wasn’t easy, since I am a self-taught baker and not trained to be one. The space is also filled with many home bakers. But I felt I could do this differently.”
Simran also bakes to help out animal NGO’s for fund raising to help out abandoned and injured animals. In addition, having volunteered for an NGO where she had to teach village girls on a project of weekly baking classes, she is now able to give multiple options of egg-less, nut free to being butter less, organic and vegan and much more to the delight of customers who want customized options.
“Being a mum has really helped me push my boundaries. I think earlier I was comfortable in my job and what I was achieving was wonderful. But after my son was born, I started feeling the need to do something that would harness the restless energy that had set in. His birth helped me understand what mattered in life, what are the true priorities, how we are truly capable of balancing so many things – something that I didn’t really even know about myself.
Trying to organizing your life to some extent, with a little child at home helps in order to manage multiple roles. Mums definitely need to plan well to prioritize in a way that they are able to carry out various roles.
Even so, we must try not to push ourselves to become what the world defines as perfect, in any of the roles. The reason I say that is because being a mum, being an entrepreneur and being involved in any kind of community service are all important parts of my life and identity. My focus is always on doing the best I can in each of them. One must understand that being perfect is really not necessary. Be good at what your role is and the rest falls into place.
I also run a Facebook group called Ovenderful Mom Bakers Community where we all share healthy bakes and recipes that we try at homes for our families and children. The idea of the group was to encourage experiments in the area of healthy baking so that we shift to that with our children.
All mums are most welcome to join and see the recipes. In fact I have also initiated a “Bake a Sunshine Cake” event through this group since it completes a year. In December we are visiting old age homes and orphanages across Bangalore and Mumbai with home baked goodies.”
An excerpt is shared here of Simran’s poetry
Life, yet again……
In a rising sun
In a warm smile
In a child’s touch
In a growing womb
In an everlasting memory
In a fulfilled effort
In a burning desire
In a winter morning
In an unexpected joy
In an answered prayer
In a silent vow
In a lifelong promise
In a forgiven sin
In a forgotten past
In an unspoken bond
In an unwavering spirit
In an appreciated gesture
In a passionate belief
In an undying hope
In an earned success
In an untouched soul…
Life, in all its completeness, as a whole..
Mums and stories wishes Simran a happy and fun filled journey ahead in life
