| | SEPTEMBER 202619over 15,000+ plants, encouraging individuals to take ownership of and nurture a living plant. By making sustainability interactive and actionable, we aim to show that environmental impact does not always require major lifestyle changes; consistent and conscious everyday actions can collectively create meaningful change.What has been one of the biggest challenges in building Daali, and how did you address it?One of the biggest barriers we observed was not a lack of interest in plants, but a lack of confidence in caring for them. Many first-time buyers worry that they lack the time, knowledge or experience to keep a plant healthy. We addressed this by making education and continued support central to the Daali experience. Every plant comes with a clear care guide covering watering, light, humidity, benefits, and common warning signs, while our team recommends plants according to each customer's space and routine. Our relationship also continues beyond the sale. Customers can reach out for guidance, and in certain cases, struggling plants are brought back to our nursery, where our horticulture team works to revive them. By reducing uncertainty and the fear of failure, we are helping make plant ownership feel approachable, achievable, and rewarding.How is Daali working with corporate clients to support workplace wellness and sustainability?Our approach to corporate greenery began in our own office, where every employee was given a desk plant to nurture. It created a sense of ownership and made the workspace feel more positive and engaging. We now extend this philosophy to corporate clients through customised office plantscaping, employee and client gifting, and green solutions for cafés, boutiques, and commercial spaces. Every solution is planned around the organisation's space, lighting, maintenance capacity, brand identity, and sustainability goals. Our objective is not merely to decorate workplaces, but to create healthier, happier environments while making sustainability a personal and everyday experience for employees.What opportunities do you see emerging for Daali as demand for sustainable lifestyle solutions grows across India?We see significant opportunities across three connected areas: accessible retail, immersive green experiences, and customised solutions for businesses and institutions. Through our shop-in-shop partnership with Spencer's, Daali is already present across multiple locations in Kolkata, allowing customers to discover plants during their regular shopping journey. We are also preparing to establish more spaces across Kolkata, including larger experience centres where customers can explore plants, planters, styling ideas, and personalised care guidance in one destination.Beyond retail, demand is growing for workplace plantscaping, hospitality and residential greening, conscious corporate gifting, and large-scale landscaping solutions. The opportunity lies not only in selling greenery, but in making it easier for people and organisations to bring nature meaningfully into everyday spaces.What is your long-term vision for Daali and its role in shaping the future of green living?My long-term vision is to build Daali into a pan-India green-lifestyle ecosystem and a household name that people trust at every stage of their journey with nature, from choosing and caring for their first plant to creating an entire green space. We aim to scale through retail stores, experience centres, shop-in-shop formats, corporate solutions, community initiatives, and immersive campaigns. However, growth for us will not be measured only by the number of outlets or products. It will also be reflected in the greener habits we inspire, the horticultural livelihoods we create, and the confidence we build around plant ownership. Ultimately, I want Daali to help organise and professionalise the sector while making green living more accessible, aspirational, and sustainable across India. Megha Saraff, Director, Daali
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