ABSTRACT
Minakshi Jain was born Minakshi Shah to liberal parents in Baroda against the backdrop of the independence movement, being the second of five sisters. Her father was a lawyer, while her mother, with a BA degree, was an active freedom fighter who wore Khadi sarees and had been to jail for her role in the national struggle. As a young girl, Jain was quite interested in sports and was involved in swimming and boating along with other traditional games like Langdi and Khokho – of which she was the team captain. Being in a family with no brothers, Jain and her siblings were encouraged to be outgoing and to pursue a career. Her older sister pursued engineering, while all other sisters also have their own careers. Jain herself had many passions that ranged from ceramics to flying. She obtained a pilot’s licence and a scholarship for flying a single-engine aircraft back in the 1960s. Her interest in ceramics further developed into designing jewellery and other objects.
