A year ago, Punita Dhawan, 32, opened a tailoring shop in New Delhi’s middle-class colony of Lajpat Nagar in a rented garage. The neighborhood aunties soon began to take notice of the entrepreneur’s creativity, and she became their unofficial stylist. Word spread, and Dhawan’s roster of clients gradually grew to include ladies from the adjoining residential areas as well. The successful businesswoman started to make plans to launch her own boutique soon.
Her plans came crashing down on March 24, when India announced a strict COVID-19 lockdown confining 1.4 billion people to their homes. The restrictions on travel and business meant Dhawan couldn’t operate her existing shop, let alone expand. Her clients disappeared, as have her meager savings.
