2138th BLOG POST
6th Book of 2025
Reading
autobiographies gives me the much-needed kick every time I complete one. Be it
written by a person from any field—Movies, Politics, Entrepreneurship, Sports,
or Social Causes—it always inspires me. This time I got a chance to deep dive
into the life of Meena Bindra, the founder of Biba stores in India, which is
one of the leading brands for women’s clothing. This 215-page hardcover book
titled “A Stitch in Time: The Biba Story” is one of those rare books
written with complete honesty and purity.
The
book is nicely divided into small chapters, which makes it perfect to read one
a day if you’re not a binge reader. The author starts by describing her
childhood and the status quo of her parents and siblings. She shares her
upbringing in a way that helps us understand its impact on her later years.
Meena narrates her college life and clearly explains how girls were perceived
in those days. She talks about an instance where one of her friends got married
very early, which reflects the mindset among girls then. Her initial meetings
with her to-be husband and how things fell into place leading to marriage make
for a very interesting read—it’s hard to imagine people falling in love and
proposing romantically 4–5 decades back.
The
whole event where Meena hosts a small exhibition with a friend in
Vishakhapatnam by sourcing clothes from Delhi highlights her courage and
entrepreneurial spirit, even when she had no vision of becoming one at that
point. Earning ₹8000 in a single day during those times was a huge amount, and
it inspires us to try something on our own instead of just talking about
self-employment. She describes her life as the wife of a navy personnel with
deep interest which explains us about the multiple shifting to different
cities, staying in an isolated environment, inaugurating ship standing beside
her husband etc. We often just hear about the life of defence officers but very
rarely get an insight into the life of their spouses- the gap that Meena fills
successfully in this book.
The
story then moves towards her early motherhood days and the challenge of
managing budget with two children, which eventually led Meena to decide to earn
for her family. The entire journey of BIBA is described in detail—from starting
at her home, experimenting with block printing, people loving her designs and
spreading the word, Bollywood actresses like Sharmila Tagore and Ratna Pathak
shopping from her store, tie-ups with brands for supplying at their outlets, to
finally being recognized as one of the best SKD stores in Mumbai and other
milestones. The interactions of BIBA with Shoppers Stop and Mr. Biyani of
Future Group are very interesting, as they highlight critical thinking, tough
decision-making skills, and the importance of trusting one’s instincts.
The
last one-third of the book focuses on how her children grew up and began
participating in the BIBA business, bringing their own vision. It reflects
Meena’s open-mindedness, as she allowed them to implement their modern ideas
without letting her own thoughts restrict them from trying and failing. She
also candidly shares the scenario of a rift between the brothers that
eventually led one to leave the business. She never directly criticizes anyone,
but through her narration, we can understand who disappointed her at different
stages of her life and entrepreneurial journey.
In
the last segment, I particularly liked the essay Meena wrote on Fashion, which
carries a philosophical tone that excited me enough to re-read it twice. She
also includes a monologue-like piece on girls and how they must lead their
lives with genuineness—something often missing in today’s feminist articles.
She speaks about what is truly required for girls to progress and compete
against the opposite gender and societal prejudices.
The
author hides nothing—she even shares intricate details of her growth in
business and describes her failures with the same enthusiasm. This honesty
makes the book very special and highly recommendable. I would rate this book
4.25* out of 5 and recommend it to everyone who thinks business can only be
started with great capital and a big team.
Thanks!
WRITING BUDDHA
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