India, March 8 -- Women's journeys often move through pauses, restarts and unexpected turns. For designer Leena J Singh, the force behind the luxury label Ashima-Leena, the path unfolded through several such chapters. Her label is one of India's well-known luxury fashion brands. She was the official designer for the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in Delhi, and now has over 300 global ramp shows to her credit. But fashion was not her first calling.

As a young girl, Leena dreamed of becoming a doctor. Life, however, took a different course. Soon after finishing school, she got engaged, and the dream of studying medicine had to be left behind. She pursued English Honours from Delhi University before getting married. "Like many young girls at ...