‘I am who I am because of my worth, not my birth’: Upasna Kamineni

When Deeksha Marur met our cover girl, she not only realised that they were in the same school together, but also noticed how confident and determined she is. Indeed, there is so much more to Upasna Kamineni than her illustrious background and her superstar husband. In conversation with the Vice President of Lifetime Wellness Rx International Limited about the woman she is behind the desk and at home, RITZ presents an exclusive glimpse into the life of Upasna Kamineni.

Photo Credits – Joseph Radhik; Makeup by Sandy Artistry and Styling by Sindhu Rao.

Thinking big and out of the box

Being the guiding force behind LWRXIL’s success and making it the largest Occupational Health Service provider in South East Asia, Upasna Kamineni, all thanks to her grandfather Dr Pratap C Reddy, has always been a game changer and not a game player. “He taught me to think big and think out of the box”, she says. She tell us that they are the first ones to start medically certified gyms along with  physiotherapy and regenerative medicine where they use the most cutting edge technology available to meet the client’s goal.

LWRXIL is Upasna’s passion and a challenge that makes her stay ahead of the curve. So with the  company carving out programs for clients to meet their desired goals, we ask her if her own personal weight loss journey helped. ‘Chubbisity’ is what she prefers to call it. “Yes, I was a victim of childhood obesity and my journey was tough. That’s the bitter truth! But it made me a stronger and a more confident person once I got through it. ” She urges mothers to help their children with weight issues as early as possible and as for teenagers, she says, “Think about your health early or else it will take a mental toll on you without you even realising it.” Ask her about how she has transformed from the first day she walked into the office and she avers, “The first day I walked in, I made sure I made an impact and that hasn’t changed till date. Every day is a change for me as I have to prove to my 60,000 Apollo family members that I am who I am because of my worth and not my birth!”

The ideal work mantra

“Work because you love it and it challenges you. Don’t work because you have to and it bores you!”

With great power comes great responsibility

Upasna is highly inspired by the famous line from the movie Spiderman – “With great power comes great responsibility” as she believes that thanks to her background, she has the power to cure a billion lives. “This is the great responsibility that inspires not just me but all my family members,” she adds.

Speaking of family members, she says she learns a lot from her father, Anil Kamineni. “Dad teaches me how to be calm and stable and not to be too erratic with my decision-making. He works as a huge inspiration and grounding factor for me. When dad asks me questions, I tend to work much harder at it because, he believes in attention to every detail. And that inspires me to look into the most minute aspects that require attention,” shares Upasna.
We ask her about expansion plans and she says, “Yes of course, we have plans to expand. We grew by 55% this

year and now my aim is to grow 75% next year.” As for the acquisition of Latitudes, she adds, “It was a business decision. We are currently renovating and, I’m going to outdo myself with the revamping of this project.”

Find what’s important to you and support it

Moving onto the personal front, we find out that Upsi (as she better known) is a great believer in Karma and past life. The philanthropic side of her makes her believe in the power of giving. She says it doesn’t have to be monetary, even time, love and concern are most appreciated. “Everything in life needs love and care, so find what’s important to you and support it to the fullest. You’ll be doing yourself a favour because the internal satisfaction you get will be more than what you give. Be as generous as possible and the universe will be just as generous to you too!”

Charan is my emotional punching bag

Upasna continues, “My mom and dad mean the whole world to me. I speak to mom an average of six times a day and my husband is my best friend. I share everything with him and he’s my emotional punching bag.”

Speaking further of her superstar husband, Charan, she talks about the relationship they share. “It changes from day to day, time to time and minute to minute. We are both so alike and yet so different in multiple ways. That’s what keeps the relationship exciting.” Being married to such a successful actor who has his own great lineage, can certainly not be easy. Ask her how she manages, and she says, “Both our work lives are equally hectic, but we find a balance and work around them on a daily basis.

I do wish his schedules were a bit more organised, but I’m making my way around how this industry works.” So while they are together, how do they spend their time? “Like every other Indian family, we bond over food. We love eating well and Charan’s family makes amazing food, so it’s hard to resist the temptation!” says this doting wife. Surely, people must already be gently prodding them about kids. We prod her too. “We definitely want to have kids soon, although with our hectic schedules this is going to be tough. We do already have seven (pets) at home! Seriously though, maybe sometime next year, since our families are putting a lot of pressure on us already. Honestly I feel I’m too young to have a kid now and I still do want to travel and have a good time first.”

The more I sleep the more weight I lose

A happy-go-lucky person, who is ambitious at work and loving and caring at home, is what Upasna says she is. “My personality changes depending on the location I’m in,” she admits. How does she get her alone time? “With my lovely animals and a much-needed massage whenever I can. I’m extremely finicky about my sleeping patterns, so I need my sleep. The more I sleep, the more weight I lose.”

Speaking of weight, ask her what diet she follows and she says, “My mantra is to have a 16- hour fasting period between your last meal and breakfast, although water is allowed.” For those trying to keep a watch on their weight and diet, she suggests drinking one glass of warm water before bed and one right after waking up. “Make sure your first meal of the day has protein in it – if you eat too much carb in the morning, your blood sugar levels will fluctuate throughout the day.” For working professionals who spend long hours behind a desk, she says, “Remember you’re working at your desk not slogging it out like the farmers in the field – so please eat accordingly. Portion size is key! Your stomach is the size of your fist – anything more than that will be termed overeating”. Five small meals a day is acceptable, according to Upasna. That’s how she controls binge eating, she avers. Before shifting topics, she adds, “Do as much housework as possible – it’s better than working out in the gym – washing dishes, cleaning the floor, ironing, gardening – it’s all good for you!” We leave her with our last question about where she sees herself five years from now and she says, “Gosh, I don’t know. As a mother, as a business icon and a doting wife!”

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