‘Modern-day princess’ Padmaja Kumari Parmar on not knowing a world without Type 1 diabetes: ‘Being diagnosed at 5 changed life overnight’

Daily insulin injections, constant glucose monitoring, and learning to balance food, physical activity, and emotions became part of routine life. But rather than letting it define me, it helped me become more mindful and adaptive. Over time, I realised that living with T1D isn’t just a personal journey—it’s a platform to raise awareness, break stigma, and build a community of strength and support.

Q: But when did you realise what Type 1 Diabetes truly meant?

Padmaja Kumari Parmar: I don’t really know life without Type 1 diabetes—it’s been part of me for as long as I can remember. As strange as it may sound to someone who doesn’t live with the condition, it’s also been one of my biggest blessings. A sense of responsibility and discipline became organic, not something I had to consciously learn. It shaped my mindset, made me more aware of my body and emotions, and taught me balance very early on. More than anything, it gave me purpose—to live well and to help others see that a diagnosis doesn’t define you.

 

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Q: You, however, have cut through the negative noise around the condition and lived with it for almost 40 years now. What really helped you?

Padmaja Kumari Parmar: My mother’s love and unwavering confidence that I could not only live a full life but truly thrive helped me in ways I can’t put into words. That belief shaped my own outlook from a very young age. Later, my husband, Dr  Kush M  Parmar’s perspective and support became equally powerful—his calm, optimistic approach reminded me that strength can be steady and quiet. My own drive and determination also played their part, though I still wonder whether I developed that drive because of the condition or if the condition itself gave it to me.

Over time, I have realised it’s not just personal discipline that sustains you, but also the people who matter—those who see beyond the diagnosis and understand how this condition can cultivate resilience, empathy, and the instinct to truly thrive.

Q: But living with TD1 needs one to keep a tab on their diet. What does your daily meal plan look like?

Padmaja Kumari Parmar: Thriving with Type 1 diabetes doesn’t require doing more with food or exercise than anyone else who chooses to live a healthy life. In other words, I eat just as thoughtfully as someone who simply wants to feel well and stay fit. It’s a common myth that those of us with T1D live within endless restrictions. The truth is, from athletes to surgeons to Supreme Court judges, people with this condition do everything they set their minds to. We simply make intelligent, informed choices—just like anyone striving to live consciously and well. I also consider myself a foodie, a trait I share with my father. I genuinely enjoy food while making conscious decisions to stay healthy—it’s all about balance, not deprivation.

Q: Does it ever get challenging to fight cravings?

Padmaja Kumari Parmar: Maybe the short answer is yes—but on deeper thought, aren’t cravings just our body’s way of saying what it needs? That’s how I look at it. I come from a mindset of awareness, not deprivation. It’s a conscious choice I’ve made so I can show up fully for everything I’m committed to—whether it’s work, family, or my own wellbeing.

For those living with the condition, I’d say the most powerful thing we can do is look inward. Our bodies speak to us if we’re willing to listen. Understanding what’s best for you—and not comparing it to anyone else’s journey—is where true balance begins. Awareness, compassion, and trust in yourself can transform how you live with T1D, turning every challenge into a source of strength.

Traditions for me are an inspiration, not a chore, says Padmaja Kumari Parmar. (Photo: PR handout)

Q: Fitness is also a huge part of managing any lifestyle condition. How important is it for you, and what do your everyday workouts include?

Padmaja Kumari Parmar: Yes, fitness—for both the body and the mind—is equally important. I’m an avid walker and absolutely love Pilates. My approach to movement isn’t just about exercise; it’s about commitment. Doing the things that keep me grounded and energised ensures that my best physical, mental, and emotional self can show up every day.

I often encourage those living with this condition—or any other—to look inward for inspiration. When we shift our perspective from seeing movement as a chore to something that truly fulfils us, the experience transforms. It becomes less about ticking a box and more about celebrating what our bodies and minds can do and achieve.

Q: Tell us about Friends of Mewar, what led to its conceptualisation, and how your non-profit has evolved in the last 13 years.

Padmaja Kumari Parmar: Friends of Mewar was born from a very simple but deep intention: to carry forward the legacy of service of the House of Mewar in a way that is relevant and accountable to today’s realities. Inspired by watching my grandfather and my father use heritage as a living tool for social good, I felt a responsibility to create a platform that could focus specifically on three things I care about deeply—preventive healthcare, women’s empowerment and education, and cultural preservation. The name itself came from conversations with my father; it reflects a belief that you don’t have to be from Mewar to care about Mewar—you just have to be a friend who believes in shared responsibility and collective impact.

When we formally incorporated the nonprofit in 2013, it began as a small, values-driven effort connecting like-minded people in Boston and Udaipur around targeted projects. Over the last 13 years, it has evolved into a growing community that supports programmes ranging from preventive health initiatives and Type 1 diabetes advocacy to rural eye-care and childcare services, to collaborations that showcase Mewar’s cultural heritage on global platforms.

What has remained constant is the core philosophy of custodianship—treating resources, relationships, and heritage not as personal assets, but as responsibilities held in trust for future generations. Friends of Mewar today is less a “project” and more a living bridge between a 1,400-year-old legacy and the next generation of changemakers.

Q: Also, how many villages/districts have you successfully covered as part of your diabetes awareness campaigns?

Padmaja Kumari Parmar: With the support of the Rajasthan government, the goal is to eventually reach every district hospital in the state so that access to insulin and basic awareness is never a barrier. While exact coverage numbers are still evolving, that journey has already begun on the ground, and expanding both physical access and understanding remains a central focus of our work.

Through The Friends of Mewar, we have also been hosting a Type 1 diabetes summit that brings together a diverse group—from government officials and policy makers to the pharma industry—but it is very intentionally driven by people living with the condition. The vision is to shape change with those who have lived experience at the table, ensuring that policies and programmes are rooted in reality, dignity, and what truly helps people thrive.

 

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Q: Genetics also play a role in the development of TD1. Did you fear your children inheriting the risk—and how disciplined have you been with their routine (as a natural extension of yours)?

Padmaja Kumari Parmar: This is probably a question my husband, Kush, who is both a scientist and a doctor, is better placed to answer in technical terms. Neither my parents nor my grandparents had Type 1 diabetes, and from what I understand, the genetic link is not always as direct or predictable as people assume.

As parents, we have allowed our children to simply be children, while keeping an eye on their wellbeing the way any caring parent would. Our approach has not been to impose anxiety or extreme discipline on their routines as a “natural extension” of mine, but to create an environment of awareness, balance, and emotional security. We stay informed, we stay observant, and we stay present—but we also let them live their own fullest, most joyful lives.

Q: There is a lot of curiosity about the lives of royals. As a ‘modern-day princess’, tell us about your life, and is it different from your mother’s or grandmother’s?

Padmaja Kumari Parmar: A lesson my parents taught me—not in words, but through lived experience—was to live a life of purpose. From the outside, there is often an assumption that lives like ours are about past laurels, but my father was always very clear: respect is never inherited or bought; it is earned through one’s own actions. That has stayed with me, and I have taken that advice very seriously in how I choose to show up in my work, my family life, and my responsibilities.

In many ways, my mother’s and grandmothers’ times were different, but the core values are not unlike any multigenerational conversation in other families: duty, dignity, resilience, and grace under pressure. What perhaps makes my life “modern” is the context—I straddle legacy and contemporary public life, boardrooms and grassroots work, Rajasthan and the US. The titles matter far less to me than the opportunity they bring to serve, to build something meaningful, and to ensure that the story is not just about where I come from, but what I choose to do with it.

Q: Despite living in Boston, are there any ‘royal traditions’ you still follow in your home?

Padmaja Kumari Parmar: Traditions for me are an inspiration, not a chore. I have grown up with traditions that felt alive, meaningful, and deeply rooted in values, not just rituals for the sake of appearance. That spirit has naturally carried into my own home and the way I raise my children.

Even though we live in Boston, my kids speak the local dialect and remain connected to where they come from—it is something we have nurtured very intentionally. Friends of Mewar itself is a consequence of this commitment to tradition: taking the ethos of service, stewardship, and cultural pride I inherited, and expressing it in a way that is relevant and impactful in today’s world.

Q: If there is one thing you could tell your younger self—what would it be and why?

Padmaja Kumari Parmar: If there is one thing I would tell my younger self, it would actually be not one thing at all, but a few deeply interconnected values. I would say: trust the power of your instincts—they are often wiser than the loudest voices around you, and it is okay if your path doesn’t always look like everyone else’s.

Know that kindness is a real force, far stronger than many conventional ideas of power or success, and never let anyone make you feel small for leading with it. Believe in the power of love—it is not naïve, it is true and sustaining, and it will hold you in ways you don’t yet understand.

And remember, even if you want to be bold and vocal, it is completely okay to have doubts. That doesn’t make you weaker; it makes you thoughtful and cautious. There is quiet strength in holding both courage and uncertainty at the same time. While this is not a single message but a cluster of values, I feel I have always believed in them—even if I hadn’t articulated them quite like this before.