Once the face of Bollywood and India’s pop revolution, Raageshwari Loomba captivated audiences with her music, films, and television presence before Bell’s palsy abruptly changed the course of her life. Today, her stage is no longer confined to the entertainment world. A sought-after mindfulness teacher, motivational speaker, and advocate for emotional well-being, she addresses audiences across the globe, helping people build resilience and purpose.
Married to eminent British barrister Sudhanshu Swaroop KC, a leading King’s Counsel known for his human rights work, Raageshwari has built a life in the United Kingdom that is as rooted in family as it is in service. She is associated with several humanitarian and social welfare organizations, including UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Dalai Lama Foundation. Away from the spotlight, the couple cherish simple rituals with their daughter, Samaya—from “bookniks” in the park and volunteering together to quiet days with no agenda at all.
In an exclusive interview with Ashish Virmani, Raageshwari reflects on fame, illness, healing, motherhood, marriage, and why she believes her greatest setback became the doorway to her life’s true purpose.
Ashish Virmani: You married an illustrious lawyer from the UK, and today the world’s your stage. What do you feel are likely to be your most important contributions to the world you live in?
Raageshwari: One of the things I admire most about the UK is that many of its most accomplished people rarely introduce themselves through wealth or status. They speak about ideas, education, and purpose. I find that deeply refreshing.
When my family introduced me to Sudhanshu, ours was what I like to call an assisted marriage rather than a traditional arranged marriage. Interestingly, I knew very little about his professional achievements. I had no idea he had been president of the Cambridge Union or that he was one of the country’s leading barristers. I discovered much of that later. What I did know was that he had delivered a TED Talk on the rights of trees and was working on a human rights case in Afghanistan. Those things told me everything I needed to know.
My father once said something that has stayed with me forever: The projects we choose are a glimpse of the people we are. I believe that deeply. Our work often reveals our values far more clearly than our titles ever can. Despite his remarkable success, Sudhanshu has always devoted significant time to pro bono work and causes larger than himself. That is something I deeply admire.
As for our contribution to the world, neither of us thinks in terms of changing humanity. Instead, we believe in the butterfly effect. Can we be kinder to every person we meet? Can we leave every interaction a little lighter than we found it? Real change begins much closer to home.
As Mahatma Gandhi so beautifully reminded us, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
You now move in some of London’s elite circles. What values do you and your husband, Sudhanshu, hope to instill in your daughter, Samaya?
Raageshwari: My definition of “elite” is probably very different from most people’s. For me, elite isn’t about wealth or how many businesses you own. It’s about how you live, how you lead, and how you treat people.
I’m very mindful of who my daughter, Samaya, spends time with because children don’t just listen to us—they absorb the people around them. Through my work, we meet entrepreneurs, global leaders, and well-known personalities. But the people I truly want her to emulate are those whose lives are built on purpose.
Whenever Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi is in London, I want Samaya to spend time with him because of what he has done for children across the world. I want her to learn from Lord Mervyn Davies, not only because of his success in business, but also because of his generosity in mentoring entrepreneurs and giving back. I also want her to understand why (former British Prime Minister) Sir Keir Starmer devoted his life to public service before entering politics and to appreciate the work organizations like Amnesty do to protect human rights.
At home, we’ve never told Samaya that success is the ultimate goal. We’ve told her that kindness is. That being gracious matters. That serving others is one of life’s greatest privileges. She’s already beginning to understand something neuroscience continues to affirm: when your life has meaning beyond yourself, you become remarkably resilient.
If there’s one legacy Sudhanshu and I hope to leave her, it’s this: choose your heroes not by their wealth or status, but by the lives they have quietly made better.
“Happiness is a habit. It’s like a muscle. If you strengthen it daily, it becomes your natural state.”
~ Raageshwari
How do the three of you as a family chill out and have fun?
Raageshwari: In the London summer, you’ll usually find us at Richmond Park. We pack sandwiches, fruit, watermelon, and plenty of music, and our dog Lucky comes along too. So really, there are four of us—we’re a little pack!
In the winter, I swap the sandwiches for hot biryani and chilled yoghurt, and somehow it tastes even better outdoors.
We also have something we call a “booknik.” It’s our version of a picnic. Everyone brings a favorite book, we read for a while, then chat about ideas, life, and whatever the books have stirred in us. Sometimes we’ll dip our feet into a nearby brook and simply watch the clouds drift by. Those are some of my happiest memories.
At home, we’re equally uncomplicated. Sudhanshu and Samaya love playing chess together, and they’re wonderfully competitive. They also enjoy tennis, while I’m happiest in the kitchen making something delicious for everyone to enjoy afterwards.
We love painting, listening to music, and simply being together at home.
As a family, we also enjoy serving together. We often visit the gurdwara to help with langar and, from time to time, volunteer at a local food kitchen. For us, service isn’t separate from family life; it’s simply part of how we spend time together.
Then there are days when we deliberately do… nothing. We actually put it in the diary. No plans. No rushing. No pressure to be productive. We’ve discovered that when you slow down, your mind becomes quieter, new ideas emerge, and conversations grow richer. We often reach for a notebook because one of us has had an idea we might never have found if we’d been busy all day. Those unplanned days have become one of our favorite family traditions.
As a motivational speaker and being involved with charitable causes and large global organizations, do you feel you have found your life’s work?
Raageshwari: Absolutely. I genuinely believe each of us has a dharma—our deepest purpose. For me, it has never been about status or titles. It is about asking one simple question: What can I contribute to another human being?
Ancient Indian wisdom teaches us that everything in nature has its own dharma. The dharma of fire is to give light and warmth. A tree gives shade and fruit. The sun shines without discrimination. Our dharma is no different. It is the unique way in which we serve the world.
For me, that has become helping people understand their own minds. It is a responsibility. Every invitation to speak—whether at a charity, school, government body, or global corporation—is an opportunity to serve.
My team will tell you I’m usually the first to arrive and the last to leave because I genuinely love meeting people. I love listening to their stories, understanding their struggles, and hearing about their dreams. That human connection is what energizes me.
Interestingly, this work also protects me from something that can quietly become dangerous in public life—the ego. As a singer, or even with my new offering, ‘Sacred Vows’, there is naturally an element of performance. But as a mindfulness coach, none of that matters. I simply arrive as myself. That feels incredibly natural, and it’s also the kind of mother I strive to be—present, curious, and compassionate.
I often say that I chose this work, and somehow this work chose me too. It feels like a relationship built on mutual love. My work moves seamlessly between charitable organizations and some of the world’s largest conglomerates, and I see no difference.
Neuroscience increasingly confirms what ancient wisdom has long taught us: when people feel a sense of belonging, purpose, and contribution, they become more resilient and fulfilled. To me, helping human beings flourish is simply one truth expressed in different settings.
Can you share some axioms you live by and that nourish your soul?
Raageshwari: Oh, there are so many. I could probably spend the whole afternoon talking about the ideas that have shaped my life. But if I had to leave you with just one, it would be this: “To know all is to forgive all.”
The older I become, the more I realize that every human being is carrying a story we know nothing about. If we truly understood someone’s childhood, how they were loved—or perhaps not loved—the struggles they faced, and the fears they carry, I think we’d judge them less and understand them more. Everything has a history.
Some people become bitter because of what they’ve been through. Others become better.
Those who become bitter don’t need more judgment. They probably need more love, although life often gives them the opposite. Those who become better are often the quietest people in the room. They keep choosing kindness, even when it isn’t returned. I don’t think we celebrate those people enough.
Over time, I’ve stopped asking myself, “Does this person deserve my kindness?” Instead, I ask, “What kind of person do I want to be?” Kindness says something about me. It doesn’t have to depend on somebody else’s behavior.
I also believe in what I call the beautiful law of compensation. Every loving thought, generous act, and moment of compassion adds something positive to the world. It may not come back through the same person, but life has a remarkable way of returning what we give, often through people and moments we never expected.
So, if I could leave your readers with one simple thought, it would be this: Be kind. Every person you meet is fighting a battle you cannot see. Sometimes, one moment of understanding can change the course of another person’s life.
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