Kajal Rao grew up in a small town with little access to formal fashion education. Opportunities that designers in bigger cities took for granted simply weren't available where she was — no studios nearby, no mentors to learn from, no clear path into the industry.
Years of hard-won experience changed that, including working closely with celebrated designer Aman Mathur, a recognised name in the fashion industry. That experience shaped both her craft and her conviction: talent shouldn't be limited by geography or background.
Alongside co-founder Niharika Rao, she started DIFD to give girls from every background a real, practical path into fashion — not just theory, but the studio hours, mentorship and confidence to become independent designers in their own right.
