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With Mothers’ Day right around the corner, we’ve already got our thinking hats and our rosy-hued glasses on, trying to conjure up the ideal gift while reminiscing our travels with our mums. Although we #StayIn right now, we decided to get in touch with a mum who loves exploring the world with her younger one and even shares a special connection with diamonds – the best gift a mother could ask for! Meet Richa Singh, Managing Director of Diamond Producers Association, and her daughter, Ahaana, who share with us a glimpse of their travels. By Bayar Jain
Head of the Indian operations for the Diamond Producers Association (DPA), Richa Singh has two decades worth of marketing and general management experience trailing behind her. An entrepreneur at heart, this luxury-product enthusiast kickstarted the DPA journey in India, establishing their objectives amongst trade and collaborating with them to promote diamonds in India. At the same time, she has been instrumental in building the Real is Rare anthem, offering a platform to consumers to inspire and educate them on the glittering gem. However, despite her full platter, she manages to make time for her daughter Ahaana, and travel the world. After all, isn’t spending time with family on a vacation the ultimate stress buster?
1. Tell us about your most memorable trip with your daughter. Where did you go and how was it?
We started taking mother-daughter trips when she was just nine months old. We travelled everywhere with her strapped to me, and have continued this through the last 10 years. Two years ago, I took a break from work. Around that time, we got our UK and Schengen visas and headed to London. From there, we toured for eight weeks. We covered Croatia and Montenegro in two weeks. In fact, when we came back, Ahaana woke up the next morning humming Galway Girl. Then one day over breakfast, we decided to visit Galway in Ireland! It’s these impromptu trips that have left me with memories galore and a need for additional cloud space!
2. If you could travel with your daughter this Mothers’ Day, where would you have gone?
Since the last three years, we have been planning our trip for 2020. Ahaana turned 12 earlier this year and we had decided to gift her a live concert at O2. This year, the gift was a live concert at the O2 Arena in London. Both of us had been discussing and arguing before finally zeroing down upon a few singers both of us wanted to listen to together. We even narrowed down on the restaurants we would visit, the cafes we would stop at along the way… Even now, the entire trip is chalked out and we’ve shifted it to next year.
3. How did travelling help you bond and create timeless memories with your daughter?
We plan our trips together. We each get to plan a certain number of days and the activities of that day are chosen individually too. By doing so, we show each other our version of the places, cultures, and food. We’ve learnt how to see the city from each other’s eyes. Each of these moments is precious, and I take a million photographs to cherish them.
4. Would you like to share a fond vacation memory of you with your mother
My favourite memories of my childhood are the long train journeys we would take together. Maa would pack the most amazing picnic baskets for the way. We would even have a backpack full of board games, cards and our comics. We would “people watch” and build stories around every person we saw – who they were, their jobs, their families, what they liked to do, where they came from, etc. Our imaginations ran riot, and every moment of the journey was special and full of laughter.
5. Why do you think diamonds are the perfect Mothers’ Day gifts?
The sparkle, the mystery, and the strength in every natural diamond is the only thing comparable to the strength of a mother. A mother’s love is the purest thing to exist, and nothing expresses this eternal love better than a diamond.
6. What would you gift your mother?
Definitely a natural diamond pendant! If she has seen something and has been wanting it for some time now, what better time than now to show her how much we love her.
7. How are you planning to celebrate this Mothers’ Day?
We are lucky that we are together during this lockdown. My kids are planning something for me, and are also helping me plan a special meal for my Maa. It’s going to be a ‘game day’ with loads of love, laughter, good food, Monopoly, Boggle and Ludo. We intend on celebrating every moment together.
Related: These Airbnb Online Experiences Are Perfect To Make This Mother’s Day Extra Special
Written By
Bayar Jain
Senior Content ManagerEquipped with a degree in Sociology (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a postgraduate diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, Bayar enjoys sharing stories of people, places, and different cultures. When not typing her travel tales, you can catch the hobbyist photographer capturing ..Read More
