From Friends to Fragrance: A Singaporean Perfume Brand Rooted in India
When you think of a niche fragrance brand, Paris or Milan often come to mind, not Singapore. However, Rahasya, a newly established scent label inspired by modern Indian identity and memory, is changing that perception.
Founded by three childhood friends—Singaporean Sai Pogaru and Indians Sachit Sood and Utkarsh Vijayvargiya—Rahasya becomes the first fragrance brand based in Singapore to gain a coveted spot at Amaris, a hub for respected names in niche perfumery.
Just five months post-launch last November, the team faced skepticism from industry peers. “We were told it was highly unlikely to get into Amaris, so we almost didn’t try,” shared co-founder Sood, who is 32.
Despite the doubts, they took the leap. “It means the world to us that Amaris recognized our potential,” he added.
“We were told it was pretty unlikely to get our brand into Amaris, so don’t even try because they only work with big brands.”
TIES THAT BIND
At its core, Rahasya is a narrative of friendship. Sood and Vijayvargiya grew up together in Jakarta, with their families hailing from Delhi. When Sood relocated to Singapore for school, he met Pogaru, who is from Visakhapatnam in South India. The trio formed a close bond through their shared cultural experiences.
The concept for Rahasya was sparked by a simple question. “Sai, the fragrance enthusiast among us, called me after visiting Amaris. He couldn’t find a fragrance that reflected our story, particularly one rooted in Indian heritage,” Sood recalled.
This comment led to a broader discussion. Although India has a rich history in perfumery, modern brands rarely showcase its cultural essence through scent. What exists often dwells on clichéd themes of nostalgia and colonialism. The India they knew felt youthful, raw, and vibrant.
“We aimed to craft a fragrance brand that encapsulates the vitality of contemporary India while respecting its roots,” said Sood.
Vijayvargiya, 33, quickly joined the cause, bringing his passion for fragrances—his college dorm was essentially a “get ready” hub owing to his extensive scent collection. The trio aligned in their ambition to convey a more relevant Indian narrative through fragrance.
Thus, Rahasya—the Sanskrit term for “secret” or “mystery”—was born. “The name resonated with us because we wanted to highlight the hidden beauty of Indian perfumery,” Pogaru explained. “It also holds the same meaning in Bahasa Indonesia, which Karsh and Sachit both speak.”
STARTING FROM SCRATCH
Leaving their corporate careers—Pogaru and Vijayvargiya in tech and Sood in consulting—the three pooled S$25,000 each to launch Rahasya and set their vision into motion.
“Rahasya – the Sanskrit word for ‘secret’ or ‘mystery’ felt appropriate because we aimed to reveal the hidden richness of Indian perfumery.”
“The next day, we literally Googled ‘how to start a perfume brand,'” Pogaru laughed. However, they were serious about doing it right. The trio ventured to India for a month to research the fragrance landscape, seeking to understand the reasons behind the lack of globally recognized Indian fragrance houses. Pogaru now spearheads marketing, Vijayvargiya directs design and branding, while Sood manages business development and operations for Rahasya.
Sundays were spent honing their olfactory skills, smelling hundreds of perfumes to sharpen their instincts. “We’ve probably experienced over a thousand scents by now,” remarked Pogaru. Their diligence paid off when they sent their first creative briefs to European perfumer DSM-Firmenich. The feedback was swift and positive: “They told us it was the best brief they’d ever received, confirming our vision,” shared Sood.
CRAFTING CULTURAL NARRATIVES
What distinguishes Rahasya is not just the incorporation of unique Indian notes like cardamom, saffron, marigold, black tea, and oud, but how they interweave memory, place, and emotion.
Rahasya’s initial collection includes four gender-neutral fragrances, each inspired by a unique moment from the founders’ lives:
- Chapter One echoes Sood’s childhood visits to old Indian bookstores—a rich blend of paper, ink, and tobacco that proved challenging to create due to its complexity.
- Cutting Rain captures Vijayvargiya’s memory of enjoying tea on his grandparents’ veranda following a monsoon shower, combining fresh, floral, and black tea notes.
- Oud Mangifera is inspired by Pogaru, reflecting the sultry heat of an Indian summer with a smoky twist on mangoes. The scent acknowledges the Alphonso mango, known botanicly as Mangifera indica.
- Love Marriage pays tribute to grand Indian weddings. This sweet, boozy scent, featuring rose, marigold, saffron, and rum notes, is their “most polarizing” creation. “It’s not for everyone, but those who love it, really love it,” Vijayvargiya noted.
True to its name, each 50ml Rahasya bottle holds a secret: a hidden 2ml vial named Mystery X, offering an unreleased scent for an unexpected olfactory adventure. Two of these Mystery scents are set for unveiling in their upcoming July collection.
SCENT-FIRST, STORY-DRIVEN APPROACH
Rather than going for mass sampling or influencer-led marketing, Rahasya emphasizes a sensory-first experience. In May, they hosted a month-long cocktail trail across three bars in Singapore, inviting guests to select cocktails based purely on scent.
This immersive ethos is reflected in Rahasya’s product design and visuals. Their sculptural bottles, sleek and glossy with irregular pebble-like caps, showcase bold and artistic typography.
The campaigns are equally captivating, adopting a whimsical visual style. One image features a woman in an exquisite sari and oversized sunglasses at a wet market, balancing a Rahasya bottle on a silver thali. Another depicts perfume stream flowing from a vibrant pink water cooler among blooming flowers. This surreal and self-aware imagery reclaims Indian identity on its own terms, resisting romanticism or exoticization.
Since its launch in late 2024, Rahasya has sold over 650 bottles, with approximately 60% of sales coming from Indian customers. Their 50ml bottles are priced at S$168, available through their website and Amaris, with more outlets, including The Scent Parlor and Design Orchard, on the horizon. Plans for expansions into the US and UK are also underway.
While the team aspires to open their boutique to offer a complete experience, they’re biding their time until their product line expands. “Maybe by 2027,” Sood teased.
THE REAL REWARD
“The happiest moment for me? When someone told me our fragrance brings them joy. It’s hard to believe; this brand didn’t even exist a year ago, and now people in the US, UK, and Australia are wearing our creations. We haven’t had much time to celebrate our successes, but that is something I cherish and motivates me,” shared Vijayvargiya.
The others resonate with this sentiment. “We were thrilled the first time we spotted someone with our tote on the street,” Pogaru added. “Though fragrances are invisible, that encounter made it feel real.”
“My wife says I’m just happier now,” Sood admitted, having faced burnout in his previous consulting role. “I still work long hours, but it’s the kind of tired that feels rewarding.”
They joke about seeing too much of each other, even on public holidays. Yet, their camaraderie is genuine. Some of their most productive meetings happen over drinks. “Three’s an ideal number,” they laughed. “It ensures a tiebreaker.”
Shortly after our interview, Pogaru proposed to his girlfriend, and she said yes. Just like Rahasya, some of life’s most beautiful moments catch you off-guard.
