Finding My Light | Journey of RoshniBox
My journey to RoshniBox started in an office cubicle like many others who dream for more. I spent sixteen years in IT. I felt trapped in my last job that, by the end, drained every ounce of creativity from me.
It wasn’t always this way. I started out on the right path, this career gave me stability, success, and everything I needed in the moment. But somewhere along the line, I lost myself. The endless deadlines, burnout, toxic work culture made it difficult to justify continue this way of life.
Every day, I found myself staring at the screen, feeling more like a robot than a human. My health took a swift dip. I started falling too sick, too often. It was a wake up call. I decided things need to change. I put in my papers and found my freedom on 15th August 2022. The India's 75th independence day. How poetic.
What if we are burned out not because we are doing too much, but because we are doing too little of what lights us up?
I thought it will be magical and all my problems will just go away. Don't take me wrong. Yes, it was relieving but I was still unhappy in lot of other ways.
I took a long hard look at my life choices, and decided to take a long journey of self discovery. Somewhere along the way, I realized that to find myself i will need to let go of my 12 year long relationship.
What we had felt beautiful once. But as I progressed on the journey of finding myself, I realized that a huge part of my unhappiness is rooted in my emotional needs not being met in the relationship.
In September 2023, after months of back and forth we broke up. To know that you love someone and yet you can't be with them is a deep sorrow. It felt like grief when something withers or someone dies.
I knew it was necessary but at the same time it felt like I was sinking into darkness, trying to make sense of what's next.
Grief is all that unspent love, unrealized dreams, and unanswered hopes that will never find a home.
One night, overwhelmed with grief I sat alone in my home, feeling completely lost. I didn’t know where to turn, but my usually quiet inner voice whispered - "Create".
I hadn’t touched a sketchpad or built anything in years. But in that moment of despair, I grabbed whatever scraps I could find and started sketching ideas for illuminated artworks.
I didn’t have a plan; I just needed to do something that felt real, something that would be the silver lining in the darkness I often found myself in.
I began working on a small illuminated frame, using spare electricals I found in a drawer. As I pieced it together, a strange thing happened— I felt alive. It wasn’t just the lights that lit up my room; something inside me reignited, too.
I finished the piece a day later, and when I flipped the switch, a soft, warm glow filled the space. For the first time in months, I smiled.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
From that moment on, I knew I had to keep creating. I started experimenting with different materials—acrylic, wood, glass, plastics, light dispersion sheets. I became obsessed with perfecting each piece, with making sure every detail was just right.
The process of building these illuminated artworks became my therapy, a way to heal from everything I had lost. (Now they are a way to appreciate everything I have gained.) As the glow of my pieces filled the room, I felt the emptiness inside me slowly fading away.
Leaving my IT job was terrifying. There was an annual package that had 8 zeroes in it. Skills I have perfected over the years. I walked away from something that had been my whole life for more than a decade, but it wasn't just about escaping my old life— it was about embracing a new one.
A life where my creativity could thrive, where I could build something meaningful. It became clear that this was my purpose. What started as a personal journey of healing had become something bigger.
That’s how RoshniBox was born. I wanted to share the light I had found with others—both literally and metaphorically. Each artwork I create isn’t just a product; it’s a reflection of my journey of self discovery, finding courage to dream, and bringing it to life.
The materials I use—high-quality cast acrylic, sturdy frames, diffusion sheets, branded LEDs—are all chosen to ensure that what I create lasts, both in beauty and meaning. Every piece is crafted with precision, designed to illuminate not just spaces but lives.
At RoshniBox, we don’t just focus on creating beautiful illuminated art. We also believe in making an impact, which is why I made it part of our mission to hire and fully train people from marginalized communities.
Everyone deserves a chance to shine, and we offer fully paid training to individuals from low-income backgrounds and the transgender community. They are the heart of RoshniBox, helping to bring each creation to life.
And just as I found balance, we ensure that our small team does too. With world-leading employee conditions—a 6-hour workday, meals, health benefits, and opportunities for growth—our work culture reflects the same care that goes into each artwork.
Work is not just about making a living; it is about making a life.
As I envisioned it and as it has become, RoshniBox isn’t just about light, it’s about finding joy, creating something that feels authentic, and sharing that with the world. Each piece of art we make is a reminder that come what may, light will find its way through dark.
If you have made it this far, thank you for taking time reading our story.
Stay beautiful.
sincerely,
Rajat
