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Anuja Bagri is impressive on paper. 

At 25, the UMich graduate has worked for a top consulting firm, solo-travelled for seven months, grown her social media platform, and is now preparing to launch her new line of South Asian inspired zero-proof social tonics, UFF!.

But what you might not see on paper is what you will certainly see in Anuja’s content, where she breaks through South Asian stereotypes of success and shares her journey. Completely unfiltered.  

At 25, Anuja had decided to take a leap of faith by leaving a consulting job to discover true fulfillment, ended a monumental seven-year long relationship, and turned from solo-travelling to becoming a first-time founder, inspired by her own journey to sobriety that came after a slew of chronic health issues. 

In conversation with Anuja, we debrief all things UFF!, and discuss how breaking boundaries might look different today in the South Asian community. 

Journey to Ayurveda 

91% of Gen Z employees report stress, with 98% showing signs of burnout, according to a 2022 Cigna survey. 

Anuja experienced symptoms of burnout that many Gen Z employees face, but these were exacerbated by a string of chronic health issues. This prompted a decision considered incredibly controversial for many high-achieving South Asians: she took a sabbatical from work and decided to go solo traveling.  

”I had worked so hard to get to this point, yet I felt so discontent with many aspects of my life. So, I booked a one-way ticket to India and made my way to an Ayurvedic retreat in Kerala, India, the birthplace of Ayurveda.” 

The youngest attendee at the retreat, Anuja participated in a fifteen day panchakarma detoxification. The program is designed to target symptoms associated with stress, providing nourishing food, oil massages, and meditation for a full mind and body cleanse. 

“For the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel like I was chasing the next thing. I was just there. just existing.” From journaling on the picturesque Kerala beaches to participating in yoga classes, the retreat refreshed Anuja and prepared her for the next step in her journey. 

Breaking Boundaries: Solo Travelling as a South Asian Woman

What began as an Ayurvedic retreat quickly unraveled into a seven-month journey across continents—a one-way ticket into the unknown. Though Anuja had grown up jet-setting with her family, she was primarily going solo this time around. There was no itinerary, and no plan. 

From the cafés of Vietnam to the coastlines of Australia, Anuja wasn’t solely sightseeing—she was spending time unlearning, instead reimagining what her life might feel like untethered.

Solo travel taught her more than any textbook ever could -

1. Self-confidence hits different when it’s all on you: “You have to force yourself to do things when you travel alone. If something bad happens, you're the one that has to figure it out. That is a whole new type of self confidence.” 

   
   

2. You can’t outrun your mind: “You will think that booking a one-way ticket will solve all your problems. That’s just not the case… Just because I was sitting on the most beautiful beach in Sri Lanka, does not mean I wasn’t thinking about all the things that went wrong or right in my life before this.” 

   
   

3. Investing in yourself is radical—and necessary: “My grandparents would not have been able to do this. My grandma’s life was dedicated to her family. But it’s a beautiful thing that I have the privilege to be here now. You meet all kinds of people solo-travelling, like people who want to spend some time away from their kids and families. There’s no shame in that. Investing in yourself makes your relationships better.” 

Being sober while travelling came with its own eye-opening moments. “I’d go to hostel parties, but I was so beyond bored by the non-alcoholic options out there,” Anuja said, noticing limited options at parties and clubs worldwide. On the road to recovery and with her new-found self-confidence in tow, Anuja now had the tools to re-focus her energy and ideate on a solution. 

Building UFF!

Gen Z is commonly referred to as the sober generation. A 2023 Gallup survey found that the share of adults under 35 years old who say they ever drink dropped approximately 10% from 72% in 2001-2003 to 62% in 2021-2023.  

With a decline in drinking, the zero-proof beverage industry has rapidly expanded with offerings such as Ghia, Kin Euphorics, and Recess. Sharing a common sentiment, Anuja points out that “drinking is a ritual for me. You’re drinking with the girls, getting ready for a night out. Why does alcohol always have to be a part of that?” 

Missing within the non-alcoholic beverage space was a sexy, desi twist rooted in culture. 

This is where UFF! steps in. Drawing inspiration from classic flavor profiles such as cardamom, ginger, and tamarind, Anuja notes that her “goal was to incorporate ritual and culture into a drink for the modern consumer.” 

Her vision is also shaped by the desi women redefining what leadership and visibility can look like. Anuja especially looks up to Deepica Mutyala, founder and CEO of Live Tinted, for inspiration. “South Asian women are changing the game—as founders, as actresses, as creators. That’s why representation matters. I rarely met other South Asian women while solo-traveling, but I hope someone sees my journey and feels empowered to start their own—just like women like Deepica inspired me to build.”

UFF! is the culmination of Anuja’s journey so far: from burnout to balance, from expectations to intuition, from structure to self-expression. By centering South Asian ingredients and sharing her experiences, she’s carving space for an entire rising generation of South Asians to redefine what success and healing look like. 

In a world that often tells South Asian women to shrink, Anuja’s story is a reminder to take up space—and to do it with flavor.

Special thanks to @glowmusebydivya, @6lensmedia, and @dahyembijoineal for HMUA and photos!