In 2017, Surbhi Gandhi sat in her room in front of a pile of CA prep books, torn between who she was supposed to become and who she wanted to be. She dreamed of a life built on her own terms — free, independent, and entirely her own.
Eight years on, she has rewritten that dream into reality. Today, Surbhi (26) is not only a chartered accountant, but also a content creator, yoga trainer, and founder of the wellness brand ‘Pro Firo’.
Her journey wasn’t shaped by luck — it was fuelled by grit, and by two powerful fears: that her parents might marry her off young, and that if she didn’t act, she might never claim the life she envisioned.
That fear became her fire.
Now, she isn’t just chasing her own goals; she’s inspiring thousands to believe in the power of stubborn determination. “One quote that I live by is ‘Jab ziddi hoga dil, mil hi jayegi manzil’ (When the heart is stubborn, the destination is bound to be reached),” she tells The Better India.
The making of a determined dreamer
Born into a Marwadi family in Mumbai, surrounded by businessmen and chartered accountants, Surbhi grew up with creativity in her heart but uncertainty about her path.
“I was interested in performing arts and the creative side of things, but since I’d taken commerce and CA was considered to be the best option, I hopped onto the journey and thought of giving it a try,” she shares.
Her discipline showed early, when she cleared the first level of CA on her first attempt. But behind that calm exterior was a constant pressure to live up to expectations — her family’s, her own, and the looming fear of societal timelines.
“Surbhi is calm and introverted, but unbelievably determined; we always knew she would make us proud,” Vineet Gandhi, Surbhi’s father, tells The Better India.
With her family’s constant support behind her, Surbhi Gandhi found the courage to trust her path and chase her dreams fearlessly.
For her intermediate exams, she pushed herself even harder — studying 14 hours a day and cutting off from her phone and social media. “Even as a little girl, Surbhi always had that focus, drive, and the sense of responsibility that we knew could take her to great heights,” he adds.
She cleared the intermediate too. But the final exam tested her like nothing before. Despite her promise to clear it in one go, she didn’t. The final exam brought her first real professional heartbreak, a moment when years of effort seemed to hang by a thread.
“Not clearing the attempt made me feel like a failure. More than that, the panic and pressure of thinking my dreams would collapse and I’d be forced into marriage terrified me,” says Surbhi.
She eventually cleared her CA finals in 2022. “The journey was not easy — there were sacrifices, sleepless nights, and constant pressure. I needed a degree and financial stability, not just to survive but to live freely on my own,” she says.
How yoga sparked her dream-chasing path
During COVID, Surbhi returned to yoga, her childhood companion. With everyone becoming more conscious of health and fitness during lockdowns, she began practising seriously again — this time alongside her mother, cherishing the nostalgia of childhood mornings spent doing yoga together.
“Watching YouTube tutorials from channels like Yoga with Kassandra, Yoga with Adriene, Satvik Movement, and The Yoga Institute, I learnt exercises tailored for different needs. I realised how people could stay healthy through yoga,” she recalls.
Returning to yoga during the pandemic, Surbhi transformed a childhood practice into a new beginning.
Yoga didn’t just calm her mind; through self-practice, experimenting with creative poses, and sharing her journey, it connected her to people and opened a new path in content creation, helping her build something unique.
Walking away from a conventional career meant starting from zero — learning social media, filming yoga videos, and building an audience from scratch.
Her shift away from a traditional CA career surprised her family. “It initially did come as a shock to us, but the confidence in her voice made me realise that maybe this is what truly makes her feel alive,” Vineet shares.
The career shift wasn’t easy. Walking away from a conventional CA path meant stepping straight into uncertainty, especially financially, with irregular income and no clear safety net in the early days.
“Choosing wellness over a ‘secure’ CA career brought its own weight of quiet doubts, unspoken judgements, and constant questions about stability and credibility,” adds Surbhi.
She shares how it was not just a professional risk but an emotional one too, filled with moments of self-doubt, resilience, and the courage to trust a path that felt right, even when it didn’t make sense to everyone else.
Not everyone approved, but Surbhi stayed focused. “Some people thought I was stupid for moving into content creation, but my vision was clear: Like Swachh Bharat, I wanted to create a Swasth Bharat and be known as India’s Yoga Girl,” she adds.
Her college friend Henna says she wasn’t surprised. “Seeing her pursue CA was a shock. But when she made yoga her full-time focus, I was surprised until I saw her innovative content. Then I knew she was going to be unstoppable, and for all the right reasons,” she says.
When passion turns into global recognition
Surbhi is a self-taught yoga practitioner, but creativity quickly became her greatest strength. She began creating unique yoga content and practising on aerial silk — an unconventional approach that not only challenged her but also deeply engaged audiences.
One of her defining moments came when her work caught the attention of Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan, who went on to repost her content — an unexpected validation of her growing influence and reach.
The momentum didn’t stop there.
Months of preparation, sleepless nights, and careful curation of each exercise culminated in Surbhi’s first-ever international yoga workshop in Dubai on 21 June 2025, organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. The session marked a significant step towards taking yoga global, and her dedication and hard work shone through as she effortlessly connected with the audience, holding their attention throughout.
From practising yoga in her room to leading international workshops, her journey reflects how creativity, consistency, and courage can turn passion into global impact.
“Surbhi creates magic on stage. The session was deeply relaxing and refreshing, with simple yet rejuvenating stretching exercises that worked wonders for the body and mind,” shares Anamika Tripathi, a participant from the workshop.
As her presence grew, so did her community. “The user base grew, and I started getting clients from across India. I customise yoga sessions and offer a complete wellness package,” Surbhi adds.
From a girl practising yoga in her room, she now conducts international wellness programmes, and was invited and featured on Zee Business on International Yoga Day. “I feel fitness and finance are the two most important aspects of life. I’m grateful that both lie at the core of my existence,” she says.
Unstoppable: the next chapter of her voice
From a shy girl to a voice that refuses to go unheard, Surbhi found her power the day she chose to be unstoppable. Once an introvert, she slowly opened up to the world, discovering a deep love for people and their stories — which eventually led her to launch her podcast in 2024.
The thrill of starting something new often comes with its own set of challenges. She shares how she had to start from absolute scratch — learning how to build a personal brand, find her voice, and figure out how to grow in a completely new industry, often without any guidance.
Through her podcast, she found her voice by starting from scratch and trusting that each conversation would shape her journey ahead.
“Professionally, it felt like hitting the reset button,” she adds.
There were no clear roadmaps or mentors to lean on, just a lot of trial, error and the slow confidence that comes from showing up every day and learning as she went along.
“I had only seen male YouTubers doing podcasts, and I wanted to bring a female perspective to the space. I decided to name it Unstoppable with Surbhi,” she adds.
Her very first episode was spontaneous — and almost accidental. “I had no camera, no equipment, and then I saw Anubhav Dubey (founder of Chai Sutta Bar). I simply requested a conversation that I could record,” she says.
That moment became her first breakthrough.
Her YouTube channel, now with over 67,000 subscribers, has grown into a space where she speaks with artists, politicians, and fellow CAs, drawing out stories meant to inspire.
Beyond the mic, she mentors over one lakh CA aspirants, guiding them through interviews, podcasts, and the lessons she once learned alone.
Milestones behind her, new skies before her
Today, Surbhi is thriving in many roles. As a content creator, she inspires thousands through her podcasts and yoga content. She now hosts wellness events with organisations like Reliance and is building her own brand, Pro-Firo — a wellness and lifestyle brand based in Mumbai that helps people feel stronger, calmer, and more connected through yoga, breathwork, and mindful movement.
Blending the wisdom of traditional yoga with modern fitness, ProFiro goes beyond workouts to support real lifestyle transformation. From face yoga and weight-loss yoga to stress-relief sessions and corporate wellness workshops, every programme is designed to make people feel better, both internally and externally.
“Surbhi is the perfect blend of focus, grit, and stubborn determination. If she sets her mind on something, she never lets it go,” adds Henna.
Her father shares, “My family often tells me your daughter works so hard and still stays grounded. She has inspired thousands to be unstoppable and believe in themselves.”
Once a young girl dreaming of a brighter future, Surbhi now encourages others — especially young girls — to take calculated risks and chase what sets their soul on fire. “It’s okay if people don’t support you at first. Let your work shine, and they will come around,” she says.
From representing India at a youth convention in the USA at just 19 to leading yoga sessions in Dubai, Surbhi’s journey proves that dreams do come true — when you choose to be unstoppable.
And sometimes, all it takes is a little courage to turn a quiet wish into a life that makes you smile back at the world.
All images courtesy Surbhi Gandhi
