Kuruva Venkataramana Murthy’s Pandemic Pivot: From Corporate Burnout to Building One in the Universe

Hyderabad, India, September 27, 2025: In 2020, as the pandemic brought the world to a halt, Kuruva Venkataramana Murthy was facing a breakdown of his own. A former marketing strategist who had climbed the corporate ladder, Murthy found himself burned out, questioning the very identity he had built on achievements and applause. Out of that collapse emerged a striking clarity: leadership and healing are not about adding more, but about stripping away the unnecessary.

A Dharmic Turn

Instead of chasing the next career move, Murthy returned to an old fascination, sacred geometry. He began encoding these ancient patterns into fabric, creating a saree designed not just as attire but as an object of balance and grounding. What began as a personal response to a world in crisis unexpectedly resonated with others. Women who wore the saree spoke of feeling calm, centered, even protected.

From Saree to Ecosystem

That single design became the seed of One in the Universe, Murthy’s venture that now spans multiple verticals: sarees and apparel infused with symbolism, books such as Inspire Impact Ignite that awaken reflection, canvases that carry intention, and coaching frameworks that realign leaders. Each offering carries the same core idea, tools not to decorate life, but to transform it.

Healing Before Leadership

The philosophy is simple: healing precedes leadership. Through models like The Flame Code™️ and Adapt. Amplify. Accelerate (AAA), Murthy trains leaders to pause, breathe, and return to center. “Only when the nervous system is steady can vision be clear. Only when the leader is whole can the organization thrive,” he often says.

Stories That Built a Community

Without investors or traditional advertising, One in the Universe has grown through lived stories. A teacher in Pune found restful sleep on a chakra-patterned bedsheet. A freelancer draped in the White Fairy Saree walked into a client meeting and came out with her biggest contract. These accounts spread organically, building not just customers but a community drawn to the brand’s philosophy.

Today, One in the Universe is evolving into curated spaces and conscious commerce, yet its foundation remains unchanged, authenticity born from crisis. For Murthy, the venture is not about fashion or scale, but about reminding people of what they already carry within themselves.