Bhawna Sharma is as passionate about Sufi music and philosophy as much as she is about her work. The founder and managing director of Artius Interior Products vividly recalls her entrepreneurial journey, which was sparked by a personal quest for high-quality timber while building her house. Teaming up with her husband, Vivek Sharma, the couple zeroed in on glued-laminated timber (glulam), formed by stacking and bonding thin layers of high-quality wood. Glulam timber scored over traditional wood manifold because of its strength and stability.

The absence of glulam timber in India led the Sharmas to set up a 50,000-sq ft modern manufacturing facility in Gurugram. They burnt the midnight oil to get the right glulam timber, suited for large-scale structures. Thus was born Artius Interior Products, a pioneer in the country’s wood engineering and technology industry. With over 18 years in business and after more than 600 bespoke projects, Artius and the Sharmas have redefined India’s premium, mass-timber market.

Beisdes, her passion of wood industry, Ms Sharma – a graduate in communicative English and postgraduate in finance – finds inspiration in extensive travels, diverse interactions and perspectives of the next generation. Sharmila Chand meets up with the Ms Sharma and is highly impressed by her passions and commitments.

What is your philosophy of life?
To be passionate about everything I do

What is your passion in life?
My work

What is your management mantra?
When you trust your team and empower it, it creates space for growth, creativity and strong leadership.

What is the secret of your success?
Having absolute clarity of vision, detailed planning and the discipline to stick to that plan

What is your philosophy of work?
Do everything with passion and conviction.

A business leader you admire the most...
Elon Musk

What do you enjoy the most in life, generally?
Wine, Sufi (not only as a genre of music but as a cultural and philosophical expression) and several other things

What dreams remain to be fulfilled?
To build a skyscraper in mass timber right here in India

Where do we see you ten years from now?
You will still find me innovating, exploring new ideas, pushing boundaries and creating meaningful, sustainable spaces.

Lastly, how would you like to define yourself?
A person who is incredibly passionate and approaches every task with full energy and dedication