Noida entrepreneur Diksha Kuriyal is continuing to lead her company while expecting her first child, saying pregnancy has not diminished her professional ambition. The TechQilla founder and CEO believes motherhood and career growth do not have to compete with each other.
For many working women, pregnancy can bring questions about career plans, leadership responsibilities and whether it is possible to maintain the same professional momentum while preparing for motherhood.
For Diksha Kuriyal, the experience has meant continuing to run her business while navigating the physical and emotional changes of pregnancy.
The 31-year-old entrepreneur is the founder and CEO of TechQilla Pvt. Ltd., a Noida-based growth and branding agency she established around five years ago. Originally from Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Kuriyal remains involved in the company’s client strategy, business development, branding and team direction.
Now in her third trimester, she says she has no intention of viewing pregnancy as a reason to put her ambitions on hold.
Diksha Kuriyal Says Pregnancy Has Not Slowed Her Ambition
Kuriyal told Hindustan Times that her workdays continue to involve a wide range of responsibilities.
From developing client strategies and business plans to overseeing her team and handling LinkedIn outreach and branding, she remains closely involved in the company’s operations.
“No two days look the same, honestly. I’m across client strategy, business development, content, and team direction.”
She said the knowledge that her routine will eventually change after childbirth has actually encouraged her to make the most of her current time.
Rather than feeling that pregnancy has reduced her drive, Kuriyal said she has sometimes felt more motivated to keep moving forward.
‘It Felt Like Life Was Finally Aligning’
Kuriyal described finding out she was pregnant as an emotional but positive moment.
By that stage, she felt that several of the professional goals she had set for herself had already begun falling into place, while starting a family was something she also genuinely wanted.
“I’ve achieved a lot of things I set out to, my company is in a good place, and having a baby was the next thing I truly wanted.”
She said being 31 and feeling ready for motherhood contributed to the sense that the timing felt right for her.
How Pregnancy Has Changed Her Work Routine
Although Kuriyal said her professional focus remains largely unchanged, she acknowledged that pregnancy has required her to listen more closely to her body.
She said there are days when exhaustion or physical discomfort makes it necessary to take a few hours away from work before returning later.
“The routine has shifted slightly, but the output hasn’t.”
Kuriyal also said she continues to exercise during pregnancy, including going to the gym and lifting weights.
Her experience is personal, however, and exercise during pregnancy can depend on an individual’s health, pregnancy and medical guidance. Her account should not be treated as a general recommendation for other pregnant women.
The Difficult Days Behind the Polished Image
Kuriyal said the physical challenges of pregnancy are not always visible to clients or people following her professional journey online.
She described dealing with exhaustion and swollen feet while still having deadlines and meetings to handle.
“There are days when I literally cannot get out of bed. Swollen feet, exhaustion, and there’s still a deadline waiting.”
On difficult days, she said she takes time to rest, eats a proper meal and then returns to her responsibilities when she feels able.
For emotional support, she turns to her husband, Rahul, or takes time for herself through activities such as visiting a salon or spa.
Kuriyal said one of the less visible realities of pregnancy is having to prepare for a professional commitment even when physically feeling drained.
“People see the Instagram post or the polished email, not the two hours you spent just trying to feel human first.”
Being a CEO While Pregnant
Kuriyal also spoke about the pressure entrepreneurs can feel to remain constantly available and composed.
She said she has experienced the expectation of always being “on” but has also come to believe that acknowledging difficult days does not make someone a weaker leader.
“Pretending you’re fine when you’re not doesn’t make you a better leader.”
For her, effective leadership means being honest about what is happening while continuing to deliver wherever possible.
She admitted that she initially worried pregnancy could change how people viewed her professionally.
However, she decided that the quality of her work would ultimately matter more than those concerns.
“If you keep showing up and delivering, people’s perceptions follow.”
Her Team Has Supported Her Pregnancy
According to Kuriyal, her team has responded positively to the pregnancy.
She said colleagues have jokingly referred to the baby as her “lucky charm” and have been supportive of her continuing to lead the business.
She also believes that seeing her work through pregnancy has had an encouraging effect on members of her team.
For Kuriyal, that response has reinforced the idea that leadership does not have to mean hiding every personal challenge.
Managing Pregnancy in a Long-Distance Marriage
Kuriyal is also navigating pregnancy while living separately from her husband, who is currently based in Germany.
She described Rahul as an important source of emotional support despite the physical distance between them.
She said his encouragement has been particularly meaningful on difficult days.
At the same time, she acknowledged that being in a long-distance marriage can be challenging during a major life transition, especially when she wants her husband physically present.
She said he nevertheless makes an effort to support her from afar.
Pregnancy Has Changed Her Approach to Leadership
The experience has also influenced Kuriyal’s ideas about the kind of workplace she wants to build at TechQilla.
She said pregnancy has given her a more personal understanding of what it means to manage a significant life event while still being expected to perform professionally.
“That’s made me a more human leader, and that’s the kind of workplace I want to build.”
Kuriyal believes workplaces need greater flexibility and openness when supporting pregnant employees and new mothers.
She argued that women should not feel compelled to conceal or minimise the difficulties they are experiencing simply to maintain their professional credibility.
‘There Is No Right Time’
Kuriyal also challenged the idea that there is a universally perfect moment to start a family.
In her view, ambitious professionals can always find another reason to postpone personal milestones — whether it is a bigger client, a stronger quarter or a supposedly more stable period in the business.
“There is no right time.”
She said she chose to build her company and grow her family at the same time rather than waiting for every professional condition to become perfect.
For Kuriyal, personal and professional goals do not have to be completed one after another.
‘Ambition and Pregnancy Are Not at Odds’
The entrepreneur’s central message is that pregnancy does not automatically require a woman to abandon her professional ambitions.
“You can want to build something great and also want to be a mother. One doesn’t cancel out the other — if anything, they fuel each other.”
She acknowledged that concerns about career disruption are real, but said women should not automatically assume that motherhood means making their ambitions smaller.
Her own experience, she said, has also led other women to contact her and share that seeing her continue to work during pregnancy has encouraged them.
For Kuriyal, that conversation may ultimately be more significant than maintaining a particular work schedule.
Her story is not about proving that every pregnant woman should continue working at the same pace. Instead, it reflects her individual choice to remain professionally engaged while preparing for motherhood — and her belief that women should have the freedom to decide what that balance looks like for themselves.
