Divya Gupta Kotawala ‘s story is one of resilience and strength, a journey marked by the profound experience of coping with grief and finding her way forward without a choice.
A true Delhi-born girl, Divya Gupta Kotawala embodied happiness, exuberance, and a love for life. She thrived on networking, meeting new people, and embracing every moment with joy. Her educational path was paved with success, studying at Delhi’s prestigious Modern School Barakhamba Road, followed by an honours degree in history from St. Stephen’s College, and pursuing her passion for fashion designing at NIFT. Life seemed perfect, filled with endless friends and the unwavering love and care of her parents, husband, and daughter, with her father holding a special place as her hero and guiding light. Despite being a married mother, she continued to seek his advice and trust him blindly, cherishing the pride of being his daughter, inspired by his personality, dressing sense, nature, and attitude.
Then, tragedy struck unexpectedly. During the second wave of the pandemic, Divya Gupta Kotawala lost her beloved father. The shocking speed at which he succumbed to COVID-19, from being asymptomatic to losing him to acute pneumonia within two weeks, left her in a nightmarish state. As a COVID-hit family, they felt isolated and abandoned, fighting a battle alone, unable to be with her father or bid him a proper goodbye. The pain of losing a loving and caring father seemed unbearable, leaving her with unanswered questions and the weight of grief, pushing her into a deep phase of depression.
In her quest to preserve her father’s memory and ensure his legacy lived on, Divya decided to create a memoir, capturing his memories and values in a book. The journey of writing the book was far from easy, as she was a first-time author, navigating through her worst emotional phase. But she found solace in the belief that her father was guiding her like an angel. On the first anniversary of his passing, on May 12, 2022, the book was launched, a heartfelt tribute to an extraordinary man. It resonated with those who, like Divya Gupta Kotawala had experienced loss without closure, providing insights on transforming grief into strength when one has no choice.
Divya’s book garnered love, support, and recognition from readers, bloggers, influencers, family, and friends. Its impact went beyond her own experience, connecting with others who suffered from personal grief, and helping them heal through her words. The accolades she received, including the SRG Award for Best Biography, HER Story Time Inspiration Award 2022, Fox Story India Women Face of the Year 2023, Women Excellence Award 2023 for the Most Prominent Author of Delhi, Fempreneure Award 2022 by Vyapar Jagat, being listed as one of the Top 50 Indian Writers by Literary Mirror Official, and one of the Top 10 Indian Authors by Outlook India, highlighted the significance of her story.
Beyond awards, Divya’s story has been featured in various magazines, channels, and support groups, such as ‘She The People,’ ‘Humans of Bombay,’ and ‘We The Humans,’ connecting her with a broader audience. She has embraced opportunities to participate in podcasts and live book reading sessions, fostering connections and offering help and healing through her inspiring journey.
As she continues to grow and touch lives, Divya Gupta Kotawala remains committed to carrying forward her father’s legacy, honouring his last wish for her to find her own identity and become an author. She embraces the path he showed her, seeking to help others heal and find strength as she does. Despite the unreal feeling of receiving love and recognition for her book since its launch, Divya knows there is still much to learn and remains dedicated to making a positive impact for as long
