our story

our story starts with the little girl that grew up in a small town, feeling disconnected from her south asian roots in an environment replete with those that looked nothing like her.

growing up, when she wore her Indian clothes, she felt distant from her western self, and in western clothes, she felt a part of her identity missing. she felt shy by the sounds of her native language, embarrassed of the aromas that emanated from her colorful food, and fearful of her hair, its thick, curly texture unlike the rest of her peers.

to her, being a south asian american meant that she’d have to choose between being either south asian or american.

that little girl represents millions of post-diaspora south asian american children that navigate the duality of their identity, and the complexities that arise with it.

simply put, our goal with mantra and co. is for that little girl to no longer have to choose between either being south asian or american and to, instead, embrace the duality of one's identity as a south asian american through fusion apparel and accessories

a note from the founder

Welcome to Mantra and Co.! I started this brand to celebrate South Asian culture through art and apparel, creating a space where we can embrace our roots with pride. Growing up navigating dual identities, I know how important it is to feel seen. Mantra is my way of sharing that journey with you—let’s redefine South Asian representation together.

With love,
Nrithi Subramanian

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our family

  • shifa karim, vice president of marketing and outreach

    Shifa, a third-year college student adds to the Mantra team by integrating Mantra seamlessly into the broader South Asian community. Shifa works with different organizations to spread our brand and mission. Shifa spearheads all efforts to make Mantra accessible all over the United States and the world.

  • yuktha sureshkumar, vice president of media and design

    Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Yuktha has been a part of the team for three years and navigates all things design. With her unique ability to envision and create designs fusing the east and the west, Yutkha serves as Mantra and Co's artistic design head.

  • armaan ali, finance director

    Armaan is a third-year college student who adds to the Mantra team with his exceptional finance knowledge.

  • harini venkatesan, social media

    Our resident all-things social media, Harini captures the newest trends and manages our Instagram and Tik Tok.

  • shivani modadugu, photoshoot director & coordinator

    With an incredible eye for detail and aesthetics, Shivani plans and executes our photoshoots, seeking to capture a diverse array of South Asian art in every shoot we conduct.

  • amulya ingu, media and management intern

    Our newest add to the team, Amulya adds light to our media platforms and in-person photoshoots.