Tackling the Silence Around Menopause

Menopause affects half the world’s population, yet it remains one of the most overlooked areas in healthcare and research. Sanjana Rao and Gayatri Muthukrishnan have been working to change that. Aradhna Sethi interviews them.

For decades, menopause has remained one of the least discussed universal phases of women’s lives. While millions of women navigate physical, emotional and professional challenges during this transition, reliable information, research and support systems remain limited.

Miyara was founded to close this gap. What began as conversations about misinformation in women’s health has grown into a platform focused on evidence-based menopause support, workplace awareness and digital tools for midlife health.

In this interview, the two scientists-turned-entrepreneurs tell us about Miyara, the realities of building a women’s health startup, and why menopause must finally become a serious priority for research, investment and public conversation.

2019 – a chance connection through Namaste Switzerland

Gayatri, a chemical engineer from IIT Madras with a PhD from Penn State and postdoctoral research at NCBS, Bangalore, was writing science articles on health communication for our online magazine Namaste Switzerland. Her work caught the attention of Sanjana Rao, a fellow scientist with a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Freiburg and postdoctoral research experience at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich.

Sanjana had been searching for like-minded professionals, thinking seriously about how science could better reach the public. Gayatri’s articles resonated immediately. The two connected, and their conversations quickly moved beyond research backgrounds to one shared frustration that, despite advances in medicine, there remained a significant disconnect between scientific knowledge and how health information reaches everyday people.

Misinformation around health issues was widespread, and reliable guidance was often difficult for the public to access.

An overlooked global women’s health issue

At an entrepreneurship course in Switzerland, Gayatri and Sanjana decided to explore the unvoiced concerns regarding women’s reproductive health. They surveyed women in their late 30s and 40s to better understand their needs, and found that women had little knowledge of what was happening to their bodies as they aged. While conversations around fertility and pregnancy were common, perimenopause and menopause were rarely discussed.

Many women reported feeling unsupported and dismissed when seeking answers, especially when their concerns moved beyond fertility. The common symptoms like fatigue, joint pains, hot flashes, insomnia, and vaginal dryness were never considered ‘serious enough’ and often brushed under the carpet. The lack of conversation and accessible information was not only a gap in the market but also a global gap in women’s health.

From personal experience to taking action

The idea behind Miyara took shape soon after Sanjana experienced health challenges a few years after childbirth. She noticed that while pregnancy was supported by extensive resources, guidance and research, the years that follow childbirth received far less attention.

As scientists, both women noticed a significant gap in research, solutions and support for women navigating midlife health. Many women didn’t understand what was happening to their bodies. They felt unheard by healthcare professionals. Health and well-being beyond childbirth, and especially during the transition into menopause — a stage that has important implications for the long-term – was never addressed properly.

Miyara was formed just to address this gap and provide women with evidence-based information and practical solutions for navigating midlife health.

The name ‘Miyara’ reflects this intention as it plays on the Hindi phrase “my yaar,” meaning my friend. The idea was to create a trusted companion for women during this stage of life.

Initiating dialogue, creating impact beyond borders

Over the years, Miyara has emerged as one of the early voices in the menopause space. The platform has engaged with and learned from a growing global community of more than 500 women. Miyara has worked with over 20 international corporations, including Capgemini, EY, Google, Partners Group and Olin to integrate menopause education, awareness and support into corporate wellness initiatives.

This led to media interest, with Miyara featured in publications such as Forbes, YourStory, Times of India, and the WHO Foundation, and several podcasts focused on health and entrepreneurship.

Equipping the movement with data and technology

One of the platform’s major developments has been the creation of the Miyara Menopause Companion App, one of the first digital tools designed with cultural relevance for South Asian women while remaining accessible to a global audience. Powered by a proprietary algorithm, the app guides women towards appropriate next steps through digital programmes or expert consultations that fit into busy lives.

Roadblocks, despite the urgent need for change

The founders envision a future where every woman, regardless of geography or language, can access the knowledge, care and support she deserves while navigating one of life’s most significant health transitions.
However, like many pioneering efforts in women’s health, the roadblocks have been real. Awareness around menopause remains low, and conversations around the topic are often uncomfortable. Many stakeholders still underestimate the urgency and long-term health implications associated with menopause.

On one hand, women need better education about menopause and the importance of taking action early. Many symptoms associated with menopause may be linked to chronic health conditions later in life, making early awareness and intervention crucial.

On the other hand, investors often view menopause-focused solutions as niche products, even though half the population will go through menopause and around 80 per cent experience symptoms.

Like many early-stage ventures, Miyara has also had to navigate questions around scalability, identifying the right product models and determining who the primary payers should be. Building the right team with the necessary expertise has been another challenge along the way.

Menopause: a transition, not an end

Despite these obstacles, the founders’ motivation has remained deeply personal.

Michelle Obama once said, “Communities and countries, and ultimately the world, are only as strong as the health of their women.” For Sanjana and Gayatri, this idea reflects the core of Miyara’s mission.

Their motivation comes from building solutions for women like themselves. Many women navigating midlife health experience confusion, dismissal or a lack of guidance. When women say Miyara helped them better understand their bodies or feel heard for the first time, it reinforces the importance of the work.

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