7 months ago
Padmaja Kumari Parmar on Living with Type 1 Diabetes
Padmaja Kumari Parmar is a princess from the House of Mewar who has been living with Type 1 Diabetes since she was 5 years old.
She has managed the condition for nearly 40 years and has become an advocate for raising awareness and support.
Padmaja shares her journey of discipline, awareness, and resilience, and how she has turned her diagnosis into a platform for helping others.
She also talks about her non-profit organization, Friends of Mewar, which focuses on preventive healthcare, women’s empowerment, education, and cultural preservation.
Padmaja emphasizes the importance of balance, awareness, and self-trust in managing Type 1 Diabetes and living a fulfilling life.
Padmaja Kumari Parmar was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 5 and has been managing the condition for nearly 40 years.
She emphasizes the importance of discipline, awareness, and resilience in living with Type 1 Diabetes and has turned her diagnosis into a platform for raising awareness and support.
Padmaja's non-profit organization, Friends of Mewar, focuses on preventive healthcare, women’s empowerment, education, and cultural preservation.
She shares her daily routine, including diet, fitness, and managing cravings, and how she maintains a balance between her royal traditions and modern life.
Padmaja's journey is an inspiration for others living with Type 1 Diabetes, showing that a diagnosis does not define a person and that one can live a full and meaningful life with the right mindset and support.
- Who
- Padmaja Kumari Parmar, daughter of the House of Mewar, living with Type 1 Diabetes for nearly 40 years.
- What
- Padmaja Kumari Parmar shares her journey of living with Type 1 Diabetes and her efforts to raise awareness and support through her non-profit, Friends of Mewar.
- Where
- Padmaja currently resides in Boston, USA, and her non-profit operates in both Boston and Udaipur, India.
- When
- Padmaja was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 5, and her non-profit was founded in 2013.
- Why
- Padmaja aims to raise awareness about Type 1 Diabetes, break stigma, and build a community of support, while also focusing on preventive healthcare, women’s empowerment, education, and cultural preservation.
Key facts
- Name
- Padmaja Kumari Parmar
- Condition
- Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)
- Age at Diagnosis
- 5 years old
- Duration with T1D
- Almost 40 years
- Non-Profit Organization
- Friends of Mewar
- Founded
- 2013
- Focus Areas
- Preventive healthcare, women’s empowerment, education, and cultural preservation
- Location
- Boston, USA
Quotes
Padmaja Kumari Parmar
Member of the House of Mewar and advocate for Type 1 Diabetes awareness
“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.”
indianexpress.com
“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.”
indianexpress.com



