• THEN: A tough Income Tax Officer, who resigned as the Deputy Director General of Shipping.

• NOW: One of Mumbai's best-known and loved foodies. Besides writing three successful columns, one of which is on health, Rashmi has to her credit the hugely successful 'Good Food Guides' (a set of two for a modest Rs. 100), which now serve as a Bible to Mumbai's winners and diners.

• WHY? You see, writing never really left Rashmi and vice-versa. This graduate from the School of journalism appeared for the IAS exams for two good reasons. First, because it's looked upon as a big thing in North India, and secondly, because she loves exams.

"Shockingly, I got through," recalls Rashmi, "and was sent off to the very fancy Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, which was like a boarding school. It was great fun and we were taught to develop our OLQs (Officer Like Qualities). After that, we were sent off to Nagpur to study Income Tax. So by the time I actually got down to working, I had been into all this for a long time."
She started as an Income Tax officer, and enjoyed that designation for a good eight years.

"There were two aspects to the job that I greatly enjoyed," she admits. "Firstly, the people were wonderful. The department has the most chivalrous men this side of the Suez. And secondly, at the ripe age of 22, I was thrust on top of a file, with a whole bunch of people working under me. My job gave me a lot of freedom. I completed my MBA (from Bajaj) and my law whilst working, and even taught drama at Villa Theresa School."

And while that may sound picture perfect, Rashmi was hot comfortable with the power that came with her chair, and raids gave her a nightmare.

"To be honest, the real reason is that I woke up one fine morning and it hit me that by the time Mozart was my age he was dead!"

So without thinking of 'what next,' Rashmi quit her job of 13 years. It was Aroon Purie who gave Rashmi a rebirth, when he offered her the job of an executive producer for a news video that dint kick off - but Rashmi's new career surely did. "It gave me my born on the editing table."

What followed was freelancing for Newstrack, training with Amit Khanna and BBC, a 52-episode show called Health Today, and a food coloumn for the Independent (which was rechristened 'Bombay Times'

Now a food writer for Mid-Day and health columnist with the Indian Express, Rashmi is best known for her Good Food Guide.

"It was way back in 1982 that I presented the idea of a foodbook to H.S. Uberoi of Air-India. It didn't kick off then, but finally took shape in '97, and subsequently '98 (the second volume). The book has been listed as a national best-seller."

Singh is now working on three books, one of which is the third volume of the Good Food Guide, and a show with Star Plus.

• SOUND ADVICE: "Being a woman, I had the luxury to move on and follow my heart, since I am not the bread earner. If you can afford a move, it is the singular most beautiful experience. It helps you to grow and to stretch. It can be painful and tough, but ultimately you will find a place you are very comfortable with."