Akanksha Dharmani

Lead the editorial voice of the Pune edition of Whatshot, a digital lifestyle platform covering food, travel, design, culture, and city discoveries.

• Drove growth of hyperlocal discovery platform with 2.6L viewership, a 40% increase, with recent videos surpassing 315k views in a week without promotional costs.
• Oversaw editorial planning, content strategy, publishing, and brand collaborations to enhance platform engagement.
• Shape coverage around emerging city trends, new restaurants, cultural spaces, and experiences. Interviewed visionaries, designers like Tarun Tahiliani and various B-town celebrities for Times Awards show.
• Identify culturally relevant stories that reflect the evolving identity of the city.
• Commission and edit stories across lifestyle verticals with the team.
• Work with hospitality brands and tourism partners on editorial collaborations.
• Built city-based team to streamline content turnaround while ensuring high quality standards.

• Established sustainable clothing label prioritizing eco-friendly materials.
• Curated limited-run clothing collections showcasing traditional Indian craftsmanship.
• Collaborated with artisan communities to elevate awareness of handcrafted textiles.
• Independent slow-fashion label inspired by traditional Jaipuri handblock printing.

• Interviewed chefs, restaurateurs, and artists to uncover stories that defined and enriched the city's lifestyle scene.
• Produced city lists and cultural features that engaged digital audiences and highlighted local attractions.
• Wrote digital features and guides covering Pune’s food culture, boutique hotels, heritage walks, and local travel escapes.

• Managed media strategy and influencer collaborations to elevate visibility for hospitality launches and luxury retail brands.
• Collaborated with celebrity chefs and national hospitality brands to secure media coverage and enhance digital storytelling.
• Developed press communications, campaign narratives, and editorial partnerships to strengthen brand messaging.
• PR and communications lead for luxury hospitality, retail, and lifestyle brands.

• Worked with Established Pune’s first luxury lifestyle magazine to showcase luxury lifestyle and brand partnerships. to build partnerships with premium brands.
• Cultivated relationships with luxury brands, designers, and hospitality partners to enhance brand visibility.
• Coordinated advertorial features and brand collaborations to drive engagement and highlight brand narratives.
• Assisted with luxury editorial shoots and styling.
• Pune’s first luxury lifestyle magazine