I was engaged when I was 14 and married at 16. The same year I had a daughter. I knew I was not meant to be a housewife. Soon the drudgery and monotony of routine set in. I suddenly realized the hard-hitting truth of the words I once wrote, "Let not my life be a series of days and nights, of hopes and sighs; so that when I die, I will close my eyes and say it was all worthwhile".

I started studying beauty at 17 and went on from London to Paris, Germany, Denmark and New York, over 10 years. I did not stop until I felt that I had achieved the ultimate. Then at 27, my husband was posted as head of Foreign Trade with the STC in Tehran. I needed money for higher education. I could not speak Persian, so a job was not easy. I was always a prolific writer. I finally got an opening as Beauty Editor of Iran Tribune. I was asked to give them 500 words a week. I gave them 10,000 words a week! I wrote on every topic under the sun, from heaven to poetry. Finally, one issue had six articles written by me, under fictitious names. My confidence soared, so did my income. Suddenly, I got a call that my writing was illegible and could I type the articles. I went to Abraham Lincoln Library, bought a book of Pitman's typing. I typed the whole night, often with one finger and wrote the whole day, till my fingertips bled. The only way to stop the pain and bleeding was to tie bandages. My determination guided me on. I needed to earn my fees for higher education abroad. I finally earned my way through 2 years of specialization in cosmetology and trichology. Then I went back to India and started working.

During my stay in Rubinstein, when I was dealing with skin disorders, I realized that a large number of problems were due to the absorption of synthetic cosmetics. I thought, I would go back to my country and produce the same from herbs. Surprisingly, when I looked towards nature, I found a better alternative. I had two options, either to start a private clinic for cures, as an answer to a human need or the basic desire to look attractive, or to enter the market. I chose the former and started a herbal clinic, keeping to prescriptive, at a personalized level, where I could help individual problems. I knew I would earn less, but I would achieve satisfaction. I borrowed Rs.35,000/- from my father and converted a verandah of my house into a clinic, by adding a roof. I already had the gadgetry from abroad. That is how I began.

Now, after 36 years, we have a chain of about 400 franchise clinics in India and abroad, under the Shahnaz Herbal banner. I have never advertised. I entered the retail market only about a decade ago. I have been writing columns and articles for papers, magazines and now contributing to websites, all over the world. In 1980, I represented India at the CIDESCO World Beauty Congress in New York and was appointed President of the congress proceedings. I was also elected Chairman of the I.T.E.C. International Beauty Congress in 1981 and later in the year, I represented India at the Cosmetics Fair at Brighton, U.K.

In 1982, I was elected Vice President Independent Professional Therapists International. I actually achieved much success in the Festival of India in 1981, where our sales broke the cosmetic sales record at Selfridges. The next day the Daily Telegraph had a headline saying, "Herbal Hell Breaks Loose at Selfridges". This was followed by a BBC television interview on me entitled, "Meet the Herbal Hotline". In an interview abroad, I was told that I have a superiority complex about India and her herbal heritage. I answered that it is no complex - we are superior. Since our entry into the international market, our chain of clinics and outlets has extended rapidly, to every corner of the globe.

The Indian Government featured me in a television series for the United Nations established consortium, called "Woman of the Decade". I have been proud to represent India at various fairs and occasions, like the India Hour, when I spoke on our herbal heritage and herbal cosmetic care. In 1984, I was presented the Udgoy Rattan Award for Export Excellence and since then I have won it twice. I have been honored with several international awards and achieved much recognition. These include the World's Greatest Woman Entrepreneur award from Success magazine of the U.S.A., becoming the first woman to receive it in the 107-year history of the magazine awards. It gives me a sense of achievement, because it was my burning desire to put India on the world beauty map and have the Indian flag flying high in the cosmetic capitals of the world.

I have always wanted to encourage the Indian housewife to have a career and attain financial independence, because I think it makes all the difference. I set up our beauty school "Woman's World International" and followed a comprehensive syllabus. This was about 25 years ago and at that time only apprenticeship training was available in beauty. I encouraged housewives to learn beauty and open their own salons in their own homes, under the Shahnaz Herbal banner. I thought this would ensure that they could pursue a career without having to leave home, keeping an eye on home and family. I also started Shamute, a free training school for the speech and hearing impaired. It was inaugurated in 1984 by the then President of India, Giani Zail Singh.

The measure of success I have achieved in life is not according to what I have earned, but how much happiness and self-confidence I have been able to instill into others. If one is true to oneself, success will follow. I have believed that it is not what you want in life - what really matters is how badly you want it. I have also believed that the quality and not quantity of life spent that is important. For others, a good life may mean living for 100 years. For me, I live a lifetime between the rising and the setting of the sun. I would not have it any other way. I have dedicated my life to India's herbal heritage. Let the future be the witness.