Ahalya Matthan is one of the best recognised perfumers in India, having worked withseveral brands to build recognizable fragrance profiles for them.

In 2015, Ally Matthan co-founded the #100sareepact, which led to a virtual movement to wear sarees and tell stories around them. A life-altering moment during the pact inspired her to pursue a path of knowledge and learning through working with weavers and weaving communities around the country. Her duty towards textiles and the extraordinary movement of 2015 led her to begin The Registry of Sarees in 2016.

The Registry of Sarees is a trans-disciplinary research and documentation centre that focuses on publishing and exhibitions in the realm of hand spun and handwoven textiles. This is made possible because The Registry of Sarees is now home to two large, collections of textiles, including a hand spun and hand woven collection . Yali, a commercial platform was set up during the pandemic year of 2020 to host those projects that emerge through the research work at The Registry of Sarees.