After receiving her degree, Puthli worked as a British Airways flight attendant. For her training, she spent two months in London where she later recalled she "would get to hear real jazz". While vacationing in America, she auditioned for a dance scholarship from Martha Graham, which she received. She resigned from British Airways and relocated to New York. John H. Hammond at Columbia had read Ved Mehta's portrait of her in "Jazz in Bombay". After hearing a rough demo, he signed her to CBS Records. She sang lead vocals on the Peter Ivers Blues Band's cover version of "Ain't That Peculiar" which was reviewed favorably in "Cashbox", "Rolling Stone", and "Billboard". "Take It Out On Me", the band's album featuring Puthli, was released in 2009.