Richa Kar - The Progress Catalyst
An influential womenpreneur from India
Richa Kar’s entrepreneurial journey is a testament to her unwavering commitment to women’s empowerment, business innovation, and breaking societal taboos. As the founder of Zivame, India’s leading online lingerie platform, she revolutionised the intimate apparel industry by making it more accessible, inclusive, and stigma-free. With a sharp business acumen and a vision to create an open dialogue around women’s innerwear shopping, Richa transformed an industry that was previously bound by societal constraints.
Nationality: Indian
Date of Birth: 17 July, 1980
Hometown: Jamshedpur, Jharkhand
Spouse: Kedar Gavane
Education:
Engineering from BITS Pilani
MBA from SVKM's Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS)
Employment History:
Before founding Zivame, Richa Kar worked with companies like Spencers and SAP retail consultancy
Former CEO and Founder of Zivame; Board Member of Zivame
Richa’s transition from a corporate professional to a pioneering entrepreneur underscores her ability to identify market gaps, challenge societal norms, and build a disruptive business model.
Richa Kar, disrupting women's lingerie shopping
Richa Kar’s journey as an entrepreneur started with an insightful observation—many Indian women faced awkwardness and discomfort while shopping for lingerie due to societal taboos and the lack of expert guidance in offline stores. Recognising this massive gap in the market, she founded Zivame in 2011 as an online-first lingerie brand that provided women with the privacy, variety, and comfort they needed to make informed purchasing decisions.
By leveraging data analytics and digital marketing, Richa built Zivame into a household name, helping women access quality innerwear without hesitation. She successfully broke barriers in an industry that was long considered a hushed conversation in Indian society.
Under her leadership, Zivame attracted millions of customers, expanded into multiple product categories, and was later acquired by Reliance Retail in 2020, solidifying its position as a market leader in India’s lingerie and innerwear segment.
Impact Maker Richa Kar
Richa Kar’s contribution to women’s empowerment goes beyond just launching a business—she initiated a social change. By normalising lingerie shopping, she played a key role in breaking stereotypes and fostering body confidence among Indian women.
Her brand focused on educating women about their body types, proper bra fitting, and intimate hygiene, which were often overlooked in conventional retail spaces. Through engaging content, expert consultations, and innovative campaigns, Zivame encouraged women to embrace their bodies and make self-care a priority.
Additionally, she created a customer-first business model, ensuring that Zivame’s product line was inclusive, size-diverse, and designed for comfort, setting new industry standards in India’s intimate wear market.
Change Maker Richa Kar
Richa’s entrepreneurial success story is one of persistence, resilience, and vision. Facing initial scepticism from her own family, she challenged traditional mindsets and pursued her dream despite resistance.
Her ability to raise funding from top investors, including Kalaari Capital and Zodius Capital, was instrumental in scaling Zivame into a multi-million-dollar brand. By tapping into the power of e-commerce, she revolutionised the way Indian women discover, shop, and experience lingerie.
Even after stepping down as CEO in 2017, Richa remained on Zivame’s board of directors, ensuring her vision of empowering women through fashion and self-expression continued to thrive.
Progress Catalyst Richa Kar
Richa Kar’s journey has paved the way for many aspiring women entrepreneurs in India. Her success story is a source of inspiration for women-led start-ups in traditionally male-dominated industries.
By leveraging technology, digital commerce, and customer insights, she built a brand that remains a leader in India's lingerie segment. With the rise of D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) brands, Richa’s pioneering model serves as a blueprint for future entrepreneurs looking to disrupt industries through innovation and inclusivity.
Achievements
Founded Zivame in 2011 – Built India’s first and largest online lingerie marketplace, normalising intimate wear shopping for women.
Raised multi-million-dollar funding – Secured investments from top venture capital firms like Kalaari Capital, IDG Ventures, and Zodius Capital.
Expanded Zivame’s market dominance – Grew the platform to 1,500+ styles and over 50 brands, offering an unmatched variety of intimate wear.
Led Zivame to acquisition by Reliance Retail – A strategic move that solidified its industry leadership and expanded its reach across India’s offline and online markets.
Champion for women-led start-ups – Actively inspires and mentors female entrepreneurs, proving that women can build and lead multi-million-dollar businesses in India.
Awards & Recognitions
Featured in Forbes India’s Women Entrepreneurs List for her remarkable contribution to India’s start-up ecosystem.
Recognised by YourStory and Economic Times as one of the top women entrepreneurs in India.
Named among India’s most influential business leaders for disrupting the lingerie market and breaking social taboos.
Media References
Financial Express – Meet Richa Kar, founder of India’s largest online lingerie shop
StartupTalky – Richa Kar: The Founder of Zivame
Womopreneur – Richa Kar’s journey of empowering Indian women
CXO Partners – Aspiring story of Richa Kar
SME Venture – Richa Kar's journey
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Women entrepreneurs in India
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How Richa Kar scaled Zivame to success
