Draft:Blossom Kochhar

Dr. Blossom Kochhar is a pioneer in aromatherapy and an international teacher of beauty and hair. She is the Chairperson of the Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies, including Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic, the country's first aromatherapy-based product range, and Blossom Kochhar College of Creative Art and Design, an Institute for beauty and hair education. She is also a Member of the Governing Council of the Beauty and Wellness Sector Skills Council, NSDC (National Skill Development Corporation).

She is the Indian President of prestigious International bodies like Organisation Mondiale Coiffure (OMC) - Paris India and Inter Coiffure Mondial- Paris (ICD). She is also the president of National Hair Dressers Association (NHBA), a premier association set up by her.

Early Life And Education

Dr. Blossom Kochhar was born on 27th December in Chennai to Albert Joseph Otter & Marie Hellene Otter. Due to plagued conditions during the time of her birth, her parents moved to states of coffee and tea plantations in the Nilgiris, when she was barely a month old. Her father, who was formerly British Army personnel, fell in love with the beauty of Nilgiri hills and joined the coffee and tea estates, making them his family’s abode. Her name, “Blossom” is inspired from the blossoming of coffee and tea plants of her childhood home. She has four siblings, 3 brothers and 1 sister.

Her schooling was at Nazarath Convent in Ooty and later she moved to Bangalore for higher studies at St. Joseph’s Convent and Jyoti Niwas College.

She staunchly believes in continuing education and upgrading her skills, doing at least two courses to earn a certificate, diploma or degree. She has been awarded with double Doctorate in Aromatherapy. She has also mastered many alternate therapies including Reiki, Pranic healing, NLP, EFT, colour therapy, crystal therapy and kinesiology which complements aromatherapy. Her vast exposure to these fields has helped her adapt a holistic approach to the use of aromatherapy for mind, body and soul.

She continues to learn and acquire international certifications like CIDESCO beauty, CIDESCO Make up and CIDESCO aromatherapy and many more.

Career

After the birth of her daughter, Dr Blossom Kochhar started her career as a beautician - opening her first salon in the cantonment of Wellington. Her quest to give her clients a different beauty experience led her to experiment with essential oils, which were so abundantly available in the Nilgiris. This is where she first started making her own products.

In her quest to learn more, she travelled abroad to pursue hair and beauty courses at Pivot Point, USA. She immediately realised the need to bring scientific hair and beauty education to India. She started her hair and beauty institute in 1984 which went on to be called BKCCAD. BKCCAD has graduated thousands of hair designers and beauticians, some of whom are the biggest names in the industry today.

BKCCAD team, led by Dr Blossom Kochhar has groomed many Miss India’s including Sushmita Sen, Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai, Gul Panag, Lara Dutta and many more. Leading five star hotel staff, airlines staff was groomed by her and her BKCCAD team. She has also groomed the staff of many corporate. She added a feather in her cap when she led a team as the official hair and makeup partner for Miss World 1996. Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic is the official Glowing skin partner and Dr. Blossom Kochhar is the Official Grooming expert for FBB Femina Miss India 2018 pageant.

Dr Blossom Kochhar launched the first aromatherapy cosmetic range – Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic in 1992 and travelled the country to educate professionals and consumers about aromatherapy. Soon the cosmetics went on to become popular amongst numerous salons across India and became the favourite cosmetics for many Bollywood stars, models and celebrities. Today her range has over 150 products including skin care, hair care, body care and essential oils for mind, body and soul.

Dr Blossom Kochhar has her chain of salons and franchise salons all across the country. She also has exclusive Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic stores and kiosks in various states.

Personal Life

Dr. Blossom Kochhar grew up in Nilgiris, southern India. Since her childhood she was surrounded by nature and coffee plantations and thus it inspired her to believe in the power of nature, and develop an alternative lifestyle which focuses on healing through natural products. This thought led her to begin with her own company, Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic with the philosophy of a range of natural products including beauty and wellness products made through natural ingredients using fragrance, colours, plant extracts, organic ingredients and ancient herbal remedies.

Dr. Blossom Kochhar married Indian Army Officer, (late) Colonel Virender Kochhar in 1974 who helped her in her journey towards building BKCCAD and Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic. Her daughter Samantha Kochhar took keen interest in the profession since the age of 11 years. After the demise of Col Kochhar, Samantha Kochhar took up the responsibility of the company as its Managing Director. Dr Kochhar continues to be the chairperson the group.

Dr Kochhar’s grandson, Aryman Sapru has also taken keen interest in the company and has set up the e-commerce department, even while he is pursuing his business studies in the UK.

Awards

• The Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution to the Indian hair, beauty and spa industry as a pioneer of aromatherapy in India
• The Gates and Custodian Person of the Year award
• The Universal Humanity Award
• The Best Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award
• The International Women's Day award
• Indian Education Award
• Beauty Polis Award for her contribution to beauty industry & education
• Award at the International Congress of Essential oils Fragrance & Flavours
• KNIGHT AWARD at the ICD World congress, Osaka-Kyoto, Japan

Books

Dr. Blossom Kochhar has successfully authored 4 books.

• Hair, Skin and Beauty Care by Blossom Kochhar ; UBS Publishers,
• Health & Beauty Through Aromatherapy by Blossom Kochhar ; UBS Publishers,
• Aromatherapy, a way of life by Blossom Kochhar ; Hay House Publishers
• How to run your salon by Blossom Kochhar