After escaping an abusive marriage, Kalpana worked tirelessly in a garment factory to make ends meet. She used a government loan to start a small tailoring unit, followed by a furniture business. Her real turning point came when she took over the bankrupt Kamani Tubes—an industrial company no one wanted to touch. With grit, street smarts, and relentless hard work, she revived the company and became a force in Indian business, earning the Padma Shri in the process.