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Meet Another Amazing Chaiwala – An Engineer Who Left Australia and Now Sells Tea in Bhopal

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What is it about tea that having a cup always sounds like a great idea? Ask Madhur Malhotra, an ex-NRI who now sells tea, and he will guide you towards Chai 34 - one of the coolest tea hangouts in Bhopal. Here’s more. Open air, good music, the amazing company of fun-loving people, and 22 delicious flavours of tea served in kulhads (terracotta cups) – welcome to Chai 34, a Bhopal-based café. Located in Shivaji Nagar, Chai 34 is known for its hygienic kitchen, convivial atmosphere, and its co-founder who left his lucrative job in Australia to return to India and sell tea.

Madhur Malhotra, a 33-year-old engineer, returned to the country in 2009.

[caption id="attachment_73611" align="aligncenter" width="960"]chai1 Madhur Malhotra (right)[/caption] Before that, he completed his Master's in IT and Communication Management in Australia and worked with a reputed company, as well as the health department of the government, there.
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Madhur was earning a handsome salary Down Under but was constantly concerned about his elderly parents living alone in Bhopal. Once, when his mother fell seriously ill and Madhur had to rush back to take care of her, he began to introspect seriously. “She had to have open heart surgery and that was when I decided to return to India for good. My mother is 72 and my father is 78 years old. My sisters are now married and my parents were living alone,” he says. After returning to India, Madhur joined his family’s construction business. But he found the work monotonous and unsatisfying.

The seed for Chai 34 was sown one evening when Madhur and his friend Shelly George were catching up over a cup at a tea stall in Bhopal.

madhur_1476864876
“We saw the server dipping his hands into the glasses, the milk, etc., and his hands were dirty. And everyone around us was smoking. We, being non-smokers, were quite uncomfortable. Another thing we noticed was that there weren’t any girls around. So we started wondering if we could do something better than this,” says Madhur.
The duo decided to set up a small tea cafe that would provide a nice ambience for tea lovers to get together with friends and family. They began by selling Irani chai, but this plan didn’t work well with the customers. As they started researching and improving, they hit upon the idea of serving tea in kulhads because the terracotta cups are eco-friendly and add a great aroma to tea.

Gradually, they also introduced different flavours and Chai 34 now serves 22 types of tea.

chai2 The co-founders put in all their savings to start this business. They began on a small scale and put in a lot of hard work. There were days, says Madhur, when the duo would themselves prepare tea because they had no staff to help them.
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Chai 34 also has a fast food menu but, three years on, tea remains its specialty. Madhur says the tea they serve is of high quality and they do not stinge on adding generous amounts of milk when serving the typical milky Indian chai. Smoking is, of course, strictly prohibited at the small cafe.

Chai 34 get about 50-100 customers a day during summer and this number increases to 200-400 in winter. There are regular customers who show up every day without fail and there are six staff members.

chai1 “After returning to Bhopal, I used to meet up with friends daily and think about different ideas to work on,” recalls Madhur. He did not want to do something that was run-of-the-mill. So why did he pick tea? “Because depending on how you serve tea to someone, you can enter the heart of the person. And that’s what matters,” he says with a smile. You can find out more about Chai 34 here.
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TBI Blogs: From the Streets of Kolhapur to Your Doorstep – One E-Commerce Site Makes It Possible

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A new startup is trying to help preserve indigenous handicrafts by ensuring the money from their sales reaches the right people – the artisans themselves. Read on to find out how Pulpypapaya is connecting these artisans directly to their consumers, and in the process, slowly bringing indigenous handicrafts back into the mainstream. Pulpypapaya’s story dates back to 2013 when Abhineet Agarwal, one of the founders, bought a handmade journal from Rajasthan. People around him in Indore found this piece of handicraft extremely fascinating. This is when he was struck with the idea of creating a platform to sell handicrafts made by local artisans across the country. The idea impressed two of his school friends and they agreed to join in on this venture. These school friends are currently the co-founders, Akash Saraf and Tushar Somani, who backed Abhineet in launching Pulpypapaya in November 2013. [caption id="attachment_73407" align="aligncenter" width="535"](L-R) Abhineet Agarwal, Akash Saraf & Tushar Somani - Co-Founders of Pulpypapaya (L-R) Abhineet Agarwal, Akash Saraf & Tushar Somani - Co-Founders of Pulpypapaya[/caption]

Purpose of Existence

This Indore-based handicraft brand functions with the mission of taking the art and craft of local artisans to a customer’s doorstep. They aim to tackle the possible extinction of the century-old local crafts due to technology and urbanisation. The core idea is to make availability of handicrafts easy for customers through the portal. The founders hope this will encourage local artisans to continue with their ancestral livelihood due to increased demand for their craft. So far, Pulpypapaya has been able to impact the lives of around 300 rural artisans across 20 small towns and villages.

Featuring products on the portal

The process of listing a product on Pulpypapaya starts with exploring the inherent art and craft of a region. The best products are shortlisted and then procured from the local artisans or middlemen. Purchase from middlemen or the artisans depends upon the size of the order, with artisans requiring a larger order to be placed. The procured products are put through a vigorous quality-check and size standardization procedure before getting listed on the website. The products sourced from artisans fall under the category of ‘curated products’. The team also uses various primitive arts to create products in the company’s own studio. These ones fall under the category of ‘studio products’. The Pulpypapaya brand sells both curated and studio products. [caption id="attachment_73412" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Kolhapuri Footwear Artisan Kolhapuri Footwear Artisan[/caption]

Focus on Empowering Kolhapuri footwear artisans

Currently, the focus of the brand is on improving the lives of artisans in Kolhapur, who manufacture the famous Kolhapuri footwear.  Pulpypapaya observed unfair trade practices and exploitation of these artisans by the middlemen. The high profits generated through the selling of Kolhapuri footwear to the urban customers did not trickle down to the artisans. Hence, Pulpypapaya plans on sourcing directly from these Kolhapuri artisans, sharing a higher percentage of the selling price with them. However, sourcing directly from the artisans requires Pulpypapaya to place a minimum order. [caption id="attachment_73415" align="aligncenter" width="478"]Kolhapuri Footwear Line-up Kolhapuri Footwear Line-up[/caption]

Pulpypapaya’s crowdfunding initiative

The young startup is currently crowdfunding on Wishberry to raise INR 6 Lacs for the minimum order of 1,500 units. The crowdfunding campaign includes pre-order opportunities for the brand’s upcoming Kolhapuri footwear line-up. Other rewards include discounts on Pulpypapaya products for a year, and an exclusive two-day visit to their workshop. Directly sourcing from artisans allows Pulpypapaya to share 50% of the selling price with them, versus 25% offered by middlemen. You can support Pulpypapaya’s cause by pre-booking your pair of Kolhapuri footwear here.

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TBI Blogs: How One Young Entrepreneur Is Attempting to Bring a Paradigm Shift in Waste Management

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After working amidst a Dalit community in a village, Abhilash Salimath realised his true calling was to undo the damage that humans have done to this planet and make a difference in society. Read on to know more about this young entrepreneur with a futuristic vision. This man has always been passionate about the environment for as long as he can remember. It started out with a love for the natural world and evolved into an elaborate network of beliefs about the importance of safeguarding the environment. After working in a Dalit community for six months, he decided to put his passion into practice and co-founded a waste management company called Being Eco. Read on to know more about Abhilash Salimath, the young entrepreneur who wants to make sustainability sexy.

Building Toilets to Promote Hygiene in the Dalit Community

“The idea behind this project was to bring about a change in the practices of the community members of this village,” says Abhilash. “I wanted to shift the current practice of open defecation (ODF) to using an ecological sanitation facility.” Abhilash lived in a Dalit community for six months and helped them build waterless toilets, since water was very scarce in the village. He also promoted the safety of women through the use of these toilets. It was here that Abhilash realised that his true calling was to work in the socio-environment sector. He wanted to work with communities to “undo the damage that we humans have done to our planet”. That’s how Being Eco was founded.
[caption id="attachment_2008" align="aligncenter" width="777"] The Team of Being Eco (Image Source - KnowYourStar.com)[/caption]

Co-Founder of Being Eco

Abhilash felt that the  world needed a paradigm shift, and to make that happen, people needed to realise that they are the force for change. “I was tired of seeing piles of filth lying around everywhere. Everyone who was responsible for it—including me—threw their hands up in the air saying, ‘We pay taxes; it’s the government’s job to take care of this,’” the young entrepreneur reminisces. Realising that wasn’t going to happen, he decided to do something about it on his own. “So I found someone who shared similar ideologies like me, and co-founded the company. Shortly, we were able to put a team together and work on different aspects of handling different projects,” says Abhilash. He officially launched Being Eco on World Environment Day (June 5th), 2015, during an event hosted by the Karnataka Government. The organisation has been operational for about a year now, and has a small factory set up where its products are manufactured. [caption id="attachment_2006" align="aligncenter" width="960"]Abhilash Salimath Being Eco Schools KnowYourStar.com Abhilash Salimath creating environmental awareness among school students (Image Source - KnowYourStar.com)[/caption]

For the Love of Nature

Being Eco has worked with numerous apartments and residential areas, where they conduct waste management awareness workshops. The organisation’s members educate the various stakeholders in these areas about the need to manage waste, and teach residents how they can do it in a very cost-effective and environment-friendly manner. Being Eco is driving effective waste management by installing composting units in a few apartments, hotels, and colleges. They have also worked with schools and conducted environmental literacy programs to promote sustainability through gamification. “We carry out hands-on workshops with the students, and bring about capacity-building, where they come up with solutions for the environmental issues our society is facing,” says Abhilash, describing their activities. [caption id="attachment_2005" align="aligncenter" width="960"]Abhilash Salimath Being Eco Abhilash Salimath with the residents of an apartment (Image Source - KnowYourStar.com)[/caption]

Making a Clean Difference

Being Eco is currently working with a couple of towns in Karnataka and helping them design waste management systems for the entire town. The organisation plans to cover the entire spectrum of sustainable solutions like rainwater harvesting, sewage treatment and solar in the near future. Abhilash explains his vision for Being Eco, “We’d be like the one-stop-shop for organisations who want to use sustainable products and practices. The goal is to one day be able to look back at our journey and be glad that we’ve made a difference in society.”

Global Warming is for Real – How can Everyone Help?

[caption id="attachment_2009" align="aligncenter" width="225"]Abhilash Salimath Being Eco Segregation of waste (Image Source - KnowYourStar.com)[/caption]
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” – Native American proverb
Abhilash believes that change starts at your own doorstep. The first thing concerned citizens need to do is to accept that we are responsible for what we throw. Segregation is the key to managing waste. Organisations can treat each stream of segregated waste differently and effectively. This way, we will definitely see a decline in the mountains of filth right at the corner of our street. Burning and making landfills of waste are some of the significant contributors to global climate change (global warming). It is extremely vital for everyone to understand the consequence of creating and managing waste. “Being sustainable is definitely the way forward. Without these measures, contaminated water, air and soil are going to plague our societies,” Abhilash says fervently. “Global warming is a reality, and effective steps – however small – should be taken at the earliest to reduce its ill effects. A cleaner, greener environment is what will promote better health and safety for our society.” Originally published on KnowYourStar. Visit our website for more such articles, or hop by our Facebook page for daily inspiration.

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A Startup That Allows You to Wear Your Own Art on Your Footwear!

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Trishla Surana’s footwear brand Colour Me Mad makes customised  shoes and is introducing, for the first time in India, footwear made using cork, which is helpful in improving body posture and reducing knee and ankle pain. Are you in the market to buy flip flops that have a custom-made doodle on them? Or made-to-order shoes for a diabetic patient? Thanks to Trishla Surana’s innovative venture Colour Me Mad, which offers customised footwear, this is now possible. Trishla, a 36-year-old artist-turned-entrepreneur and mother of two, had no idea she would be founding her own business when she tried printing her daughter’s doodles on her footwear for fun. The child was beyond herself with joy when her designer mother gifted her shoes that carried her own drawings.
“The idea had a spark to it and it must have stayed somewhere at the back of mind. I realised that any art can be translated into footwear. So when three years ago, I decided to start a venture of my own, my mind immediately jumped to the idea of making customised shoes,” says Trishla, a Commercial Arts Degree holder from Rachana Sansad, Mumbai.

Entrepreneurship isn’t exactly new to Trishla. She was always a work-from-home artist who would design things like hair accessories and straps for kids’ footwear and display them mostly at exhibitions.

[caption id="attachment_75014" align="aligncenter" width="720"]color-me-mad-trishla Trishla Surana with Colour Me Mad products[/caption] However, going all out to enter the footwear industry wasn’t an easy prospect for her.
“In India, the footwear industry isn’t organised at all. Many were of the opinion that making everything from scratch here was a bad idea. They told me my business wouldn’t sustain itself. There’s a lot of competition and with the Chinese imports a lot of cheap options are available in footwear. I was told my business would never do well,” she recollects.
But it was the challenge that made the idea more interesting for her and Trishla and her attorney husband Rajeev took their time to test the waters before jumping in.
“I started researching footwear, its history and the characteristics of the Indian market. Though the initial thought was to help children express their thoughts and drawings through footwear, it was only after research that I came up with the idea of making customised  footwear of the kind that Color Me Mad now offers,” says Trishla.

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During her research, Trishla came across the ‘perfect material’ for the kind of shoes she had in mind: cork. Cork is a versatile material obtained from the renewable bark of the cork oak tree, which is primarily found around the Mediterranean Sea. It is used to make a wide variety of products like wine bottle corks, coasters, footwear, as well as flooring. “The natural properties of the material make it perfect for footwear; it is light in weight, soft but durable, expandable, flexible, and anti-static. Due to these properties, it’s widely used in orthopaedic footwear. Cork footwear is very popular in Europe but it’s a new concept for India,” says Trishla.

An admirer of the German footwear brand Birkenstock, which invented cork footwear a century ago, Trishla decided to bring cork to India. She started working with a partner in Delhi and developed her brand titled ‘Comfee’.

“Comfee can help improve body posture, reduce knee and ankle pain and take the shape of one’s foot, providing extreme comfort,” says Trishla.
Three years of dedicated research may seem a lot to some, but not to Trishla. She took over one year to design the website for Colour Me Mad.
“I needed to develop a website where people could design and customise their own footwear. That required perfection. I needed a platform where people would be offered dummy footwear and they themselves could customise it. It had to be really open-ended – they could upload any picture or doodle or even Google wallpaper and get it printed on their footwear. The idea was that they should be able to create something that’s very personal to them and therefore very close to their heart. We often find these kinds of websites in Europe, for several brands. I wanted the website to be bug-free and of international standard,” says Trishla.
[caption id="attachment_75879" align="aligncenter" width="750"]image1 Colourful Comfees[/caption]
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Colour Me Mad is now also foraying into formal footwear. They have two designs in formal footwear currently and plan to offer more soon.
“Usually, formal footwear is very uncomfortable. It often happens that people wearing stilettos and wedges at parties end up taking them off eventually. So, naturally, cork-made comfortable footwear will certainly be welcomed by people,” says Trishla.
Her flip-flops are handcrafted from scratch by skilled artisans at the brand’s workshop at Marine Lines in Mumbai. Made one piece at a time, the footwear offered by Colour Me Mad is a Made in India brand through and through.
Though Colour Me Mad has only been around for a few months, Trishla wants to do her bit in giving back to the community. “We are associated with Goonj and various NGOs where Rs. 10 out of every sale made is donated towards providing footwear to the underprivileged,” she says.
To launch her brand, Trishla represented India at the Turkey International Festival in March. And she will soon be participating in the upcoming L’Artigiano International Crafts Fair at Milan, Italy, in the handcrafted segment.
“Our unique products garnered a terrific response in Turkey; it was amazing. And now we’re going to Milan. It’s like a dream come true,” concludes Trishla.

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To know more about Colour Me Mad, you can visit the company’s website here and Facebook page here.

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Elon Musk Is Not the Only One, This Indian Startup Creates Solar Rooftops – from Waste Materials!

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ReMaterials was awarded the Parivartan Award in the Alternative Materials category on Nov. 24 for developing affordable, durable and eco-friendly roof systems. Having a home is often described as “having a roof over your head,” and rightly so! A roof is an important part of a house and an equally important determinant of the quality of life of its occupants. Over one billion people in slums and villages worldwide do not have safe, adequate roofing and rely on inferior quality and toxic metal and cement sheet roofs.

Recognizing what a huge challenge having a proper roof is for people, especially in slums and villages, the Alternative Materials prize at the 2016 Parivartan Sustainability Leadership Awards held in Delhi on Nov 24 was awarded to ReMaterials.

[caption id="attachment_76275" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Credit: ReMaterials Credit: ReMaterials[/caption] “I travelled through four states of India to understand the housing situation in slums and villages,” ReMaterials co-founder, Hasit Ganatra, said in a video about the company. “I quickly found that housing is a huge aspiration for these families and they have a tremendous emotional connect to it.” ReMaterials is an Ahmedabad-based startup that has developed an affordable and ecologically friendly roofing solution called ModRoof. The panels are made of a new wood-like material that is made entirely out of waste materials like cardboard and agricultural waste, currently sourced locally in Ahmedabad. “The manufacturing process is simple: it has a crushing stage, then a mixing stage, then a compression stage, drying stage and waterproofing stage," Hasit explained to Gizmag in an interview last year. ReMaterials has designed the roof system in a way that makes it easy to transport, install and maintain. The roof panels can last over 20 years with minimal maintenance, according to the company. Not only is ModRoof durable, it is waterproof and fireproof and has heat insulating properties. Speaking of the low-quality roofs currently in use in many parts of India, Lisa von Rabenau, the other co-founder and head of engineering at ReMaterials, said, “I was shocked by the severity of the problem. People actually die because of these roofs… in summer they transform into saunas and old people get heat strokes.” In their own tests, the company found that temperatures inside a house that has a metal roof can rise up to 42°C, while in the same conditions the interiors of a comparable house equipped with a ModRoof the temperature was 36°C. But the aim of the ReMaterials team is not just to produce roofs that outperform other systems available in the market but to build a product that is appealing to prospective customers. “It looks really nice and families love the aesthetics of it,” Lisa said. The company has also tied up with micro-finance institutions to offer attractive payment plans. Currently, the highest quality concrete slab roofs can be almost 10 times as expensive as low-quality metal or concrete corrugated roofs. The company has not listed the price of the ModRoof on its website but it is priced much lower than concrete slabs, according to Hasit.

The company continues to innovate. ReMaterials has developed a solar version of their roofs that can power LED lights, charge cellphones, and do much more.

[caption id="attachment_76274" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Credit: ReMaterials Credit: ReMaterials[/caption] Earlier this year US-based clean energy pioneer, Elon Musk, unveiled a roofing system that also acts as a solar panel. It was targeted towards environment-conscious wealthy customers in developed countries. ReMaterials also plans to expand globally. “Apart from India poor quality roofing is a problem in several countries,” Hasit said, “Our goal is to provide high-quality shelter to all these families, wherever they are.”

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MY VIEW: These Entrepreneurs Probably Have Some of the Most Loyal Workers Anywhere, and It’s No Surprise!

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As India rapidly evolves into a global economic force, more and more entrepreneurs are innovating and creating unique products. Here are two such entrepreneurs who have come up with some fascinating ways to merge the best of global practices with the best of India. I was invited to give a talk at the Nashik Entrepreneurship Forum by Sanjay Lodha on angel investing, and had a great day because I learned a lot. I live in Mumbai, which is the economic capital of India. We Mumbaikars think we’re the leaders in the financial space and know everything there is to know about investing. However, going to Nashik opened my eyes. Mr. Shrirang Sarda, a Director at Sarda Group of Companies, and Mr. Rajesh Malpani (sadly, I am not related to him), a Director at Malpani Group in Sangamner, gave a great presentation on how they have grown their family business. They are third-generation family businessmen who went to the USA for higher education and then came back to run the companies which they inherited. Both men are progressive and forward-looking, and it was inspiring to hear how these businessmen, who are rooted in Indian culture, have crafted such great success stories by transforming themselves into professionally managed family businesses. They have successfully blended the best of both worlds because they think global and act local.

The two have tons of domain expertise, a lot of which they have absorbed from their elders, and they can apply it scientifically using modern management principles.

[caption id="attachment_76667" align="aligncenter" width="500"]pexels-photo Source: Pexels[/caption] They earn a lot of money, and also take extremely good care of their workers. Many of the perks they offer their employees are very innovative. Here’s an example. Indian weddings are expensive affairs, and they realised that a lot of their factory workers ended up in debt because of these marriage expenses. They started doing mass weddings for their workers, thus saving them a lot of money. An employer-sponsored mass marriage is a uniquely Indian twist on how to offer employee benefits creatively! This is a great example of how empathetic founders who understand Indian traditions can create a win-win situation. Not only did employees gain by saving on the wedding expenses, the management also benefitted, because they created employee delight and loyal workers. Based on the success of this initiative, they started a nursery school in the factory premises so that the mothers could continue to work, and book banks for educating their children, so that they could complete their schooling. Enlightened management has helped to transform the lives of all their workers, and helped the town progress dramatically as well.

Over and above becoming the employers of choice, they have also helped to reduce indebtedness by starting a workers’ credit society to rescue them from the clutches of the local money lenders (sahukars) who would charge exorbitant rates of interest.

[caption id="attachment_76668" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Source: Pexels Source: Pexels[/caption] Creating wealth is extremely important for India’s progress, and these entrepreneurs have helped to create a thriving economy locally. However, nobody celebrates them because they are not your typical startup founders. People need to respect them, because they started completely new verticals within an existing family business – for example, in renewable energy for the Malpani Group, and in dairy farming for the Sarda group . These companies are extremely successful, and very profitable, without taking any external funding. They are frugal and patient, and have a long-term vision, because they want to hand their companies to their next generation, just like their forefathers did. There must be so many of these success stories in Indian towns which unfortunately we are completely unaware of. Sadly, in India, we know more about the Silicon Valley success stories rather than these home-grown stories. They are excellent examples of how money can intelligently grow when plowed into businesses which are very India-specific. We need to highlight more of these Indian success stories. I am sure there must be many more successful entrepreneurs in the smaller Indian towns which we are unaware of because the media – unfortunately – doesn’t pay any attention to them.

These businessmen do not lead flashy lifestyles, and do not crave media publicity – they just continue doing a great job creating wealth year-on-year without trying to seek the limelight.

[caption id="attachment_76670" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Source: Pexels Source: Pexels[/caption] These companies have existed for many generations, and have grown with the changing times, because they adapted to India’s growth. These businesses will continue to thrive, and there is a lot to learn from them. (Written by Dr. Aniruddha Malpani, Director & Values Custodian, Solidarity Advisors) Visit their websites to know more about the innovative work taking place at the Sarda Group and the Malpani Group.

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How These Beautiful Nungshiba Dolls Have Become a Means of Empowerment For Naga Women

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Astate defined by its lush mountainous terrain, picturesque village settlements and rich cultural heritage, Nagaland is also recognised for its finesse in fashion and handicrafts. In keeping with tradition, an all-girls entrepreneurial team in Nagaland has started a unique venture called Nungshiba Handicrafts. Not only does this initiative provide an opportunity to emerging home-grown designers to market their handicrafts, it also helps them make a decent livelihood by selling them at their outlet. Their most popular product? The beautiful handcrafted Nungshiba dolls! [caption id="attachment_76663" align="aligncenter" width="500"]handcrafted-fashion-dolls-n Nungshiba dolls[/caption] In 2011, Zuboni Humtsoe had just graduated from college. With her father seriously ill and her family undergoing a severe financial crisis, Humtsoe knew that she would have start earning immediately to be able to be contribute to her family's income. Sitting on the cold benches of the hospital, a determined Humtsoe promised herself that she would make her own destiny and not wait for anybody. While most of her relatives advised her to try for a government job, Humtsoe decided to follow her passion and set up a small business with the tiny capital of ₹ 3500 that she had saved from her college scholarship. Passionate about art, fashion and photography, Humtsoe has always wanted to do something different. Taking inspiration from beautiful Japanese dolls, she decided to use left over fabrics to make beautiful handcrafted dolls that they would marketed under their brand, 'Precious Me Love' or PML. The idea behind this was to up-cycle fabrics and reduce carbon footprints while simultaneously empowering more local women in the process. Over the years, Humtsoe worked really hard, taught herself, experimented, innovated, and kept herself open to feedback and criticism. She also surrounded herself with genuine and positive people who inspired her to push herself and never give up. With time, everything started falling into place. Today, PML sells everything from vintage clothing and fashion accessories to a variety of tribal handcrafts. However, their signature products remains the traditional Nungshiba dolls. The dolls have been named Nungshiba (which means 'love' in Manipuri) in honour of PML's first crafts designer, Babita Meitei, a Manipuri. Inspired by the beautiful tribal women of Nagaland, each Nungshiba doll is carefully designed and takes a day to make with two expert crafts women working together tirelessly. The end result is beautiful handmade dolls that wear unique mekhlas (traditional wrap-arounds worn by the Naga women of each tribe) with intricate pattern of beads and hand-stitched designs. Humtsoe says that they take special care to ensure that each each Nungshiba handcrafted doll is special, unique and a joy that will last forever. [caption id="attachment_76709" align="aligncenter" width="425"]handmade-naga-tribal-dolls-nagaland-northeastindia-03 Nungshiba dolls[/caption]
Photo Source
From their humble beginnings, PML has steadily grown to become one of the fastest growing online fashion brands from Nagaland. Today, PML employs 10 girls, including a differently-abled girl. The team includes Zuboni Humtsoe, the Marketing and Creative Head; her sister Lozano, the Creative Director; Alen Konyak, the Logistics Manager, Wondeno Ezung; the official photographer; Lothungbeni Humtsoe, the Stylist and Sales Manager; Babita Meitei, the Handicrafts designer; Emilo Enny, Assistant Handicrafts Designer; Inali, Julie and Zuchan, the Nungshiba doll-makers. Humstsoe describes PML as an extension of her dreams, her personality and her ambition. Recalling how tough it was initially to run her business with the little money she had, she says that it had been tough journey but she was glad that she had made it. [caption id="attachment_76710" align="aligncenter" width="850"]narendra-modi-hornbill-festival-nagaland-northeast-india Zuboni Humtsoe with PM Modi at the Hornbill Festival 2014[/caption]
Photo Source
When asked how it feels to be invited to present talks on her success story and to have encouraging strangers writing to her from across the world, in an interview to the Morung Express, Humtsoe says,
"Never in my wildest dream did I think that it would turn out to be a serious career path. Who would have thought that a simple business run through Facebook would reach this level! When I look back I feel like crying. I won’t lie, it’s been the most difficult but also the most rewarding and amazing experience."
A woman who has no qualms to admit that she knows what poverty feels like, Humtsoe also adds how proud she is of her hardworking team, explaining that while she still cannot pay them as much as she would like to, all the girls are happy and satisfied with their work at PML. The entire team follow a work culture in which everybody is an equal and they all work, eats and play together. To foster a sense of oneness in the team, the girls also avoid speaking in their native tribal languages. A talented entrepreneur who wishes to be a philanthropist one day, Humtsoe wants to build PML into a brand that celebrates fashion, feminity, creativity and freedom. Her mission, as she states, is to build long-lasting relationships with her customers and clients by providing exceptional quality and customer services. She is also working to make PML a platform that offers a plethora of opportunities for the local youth - PML has been regularly featuring and promoting talented young models, photographers, stylists, seamstresses, and doll-makers from Nagaland. [caption id="attachment_76711" align="aligncenter" width="640"]doll_fiiii Nungshiba dolls[/caption]
Photo Source
Rebelling against family pressures and financial hurdles, the women at PML are proof that there is no limit to what you can do or achieve when you believe in yourself and your dreams. As Humtsoe, an inspiration to many women in Nagaland, says,
"You can do anything or be anybody you want to be, but you have to believe and never give up. Always remember no dream is too big and no dreamer too small."
To know more about this initiative, follow their Facebook official page here. You can also check out their online shopping website here.

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A Bengaluru-Based Startup Is Promoting Eco-Friendly Wedding Invitations & They Are Terrific!

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A Bangalore-based start-up called A2 Naturals is revamping wedding traditions by promoting eco-friendly wedding invitations. The invites contain a 7.5 cm high ‘Seedball Ganesha’ idol, which is embedded with plant seeds! Big Fat Indian Weddings neither go out of style nor out of discussion. Wedding trends are always the talk of the town and although new trends come up every now and then, there are only a few that have the potential to go a long way.

Keeping this in mind, Bengaluru-based start-up A2 Naturals has introduced eco-friendly wedding invitations, which they hope will appeal to the aware modern consumer looking to make a difference to the planet.

green-weddings This healthcare and lifestyle brand, which promotes organic farming and Ayurveda, is excited about its new concept.
“Considering the fact that an impressive amount is spent on each wedding invitation, which loses its significance once the wedding is over, we thought an idol of Ganesha that would sprout and grow into a tree when planted would make a really memorable gift,” says Shivali Malthesh, Head of Sales and Marketing, A2 Naturals.
Almost every wedding card design carries the image of Lord Ganesha, which symbolises blessings for the couple on their happy day. The Seedball Ganesha idol that A2 Naturals is promoting will be a 3D replacement for the large plastic impressions or embossing of Ganesha on the thick wedding cards.
“People find it difficult to throw the cards away as they have the image of Ganesha on them. Eventually, they just end up sitting on a stash of wedding cards, which keeps on increasing. But the Seedball Ganesha, when planted in soil, gives birth to a tree that can decorate someone’s backyard for life,” says Shivali.
The seeds that are placed in the idol can be customised according to the couple’s wishes by the company.
Also read: Delhiites, Check out This Ecological Engineer’s Super Innovative, Natural Idea to Reduce Pollution in Water Bodies
A2 Naturals came up with the concept of the Seedball Ganesha this year on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. With thousands of Ganesha idols being immersed into water bodies across the country, the festival was a major cause of water pollution. To counter this problem, the company introduced GoMaye Ganesha: Ganesha idols made from 100% natural ingredients like cow dung, which release micro-organisms once they dissolve, and cleanse water bodies.

Similarly, the Seedball Ganesha concept is eco-friendly too. The company has collaborated with farmers in the village of Mallasandra in Tumkur district near Bengaluru, and trained them in making Seedball Ganesha idols.

[caption id="attachment_77503" align="aligncenter" width="500"]seedball-ganesha-germinates-copy Seedball Ganesha[/caption]
“These eco-friendly wedding invitations will not only help the environment but will be beneficial for the farmers too. When the Seedball Ganesha was limited to the Ganesha festival, it was a seasonal employment opportunity for the farmers. But the year-round bulk orders for wedding cards will help provide a more regular source of income to the farmers,” says Shivali.
Currently, the company is trying to promote the idea of eco-friendly wedding cards to a niche audience through a network of wedding planners and wedding card designers. Mekala Murali, a wedding card designer with her own venture under the name of Pathrika Cards, happily endorses A2 Naturals’ eco-friendly wedding cards.
“A good percentage of my clients want eco-friendly ideas for invitations. While some of them opt for recycled paper to print their cards, many prefer e-invitations sent out by email in order to completely eliminate paper usage. The Seedball Ganesha idols are a very novel idea. One can make them a part of wedding invitations or give them away as memorable return gifts –- the result is that every time your guests look at the plants growing in their gardens, they’ll be reminded of your wedding,” says Mekala.

Also read: This Man Quit the Corporate World to Embrace Indigenous Architecture and Build Eco-Friendly Homes
To know more, visit the official website of A2 Naturals here.

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A Farmer’s Son with No High-Flying Management Degree Starts an Airline Company in the Himalayas

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Budhi Prakash Thakur, an entrepreneur with no degree in business or management, is probably India’s first ever aviation magnate from a farmer’s family. "In the hills, there is no difference between a child and adult when it comes to work. We all toil our hearts out to make the land flourish,” says Budhi Prakash Thakur, the son of an uneducated farmer, who went on to start Air Himalayas, India’s first private airline service in the Himalayas. Budhi Prakash comes from a family that struggled to make ends meet; they lived on the income from their modest land holding of seven bighas in Khakhnal village, nine kilometres from the hill station of Manali. Budhi Prakash and his two brothers went to the local government school and helped their father in the fields. From a very young age, Budhi Prakash was his father’s right hand in supporting the family. When he was just a teenager he helped his father start growing apples. This decision eased the family’s financial troubles. He was in his second year in college when he decided to quit regular studies to join the family in starting a homestay in their village. Investing the money that came from the farmland, Budhi Prakash and his father built a small five-room property for tourists seeking budget accommodation near Manali. Within just six years, the homestay grew into a popular resort, named Sarthak Resorts, which today has 65 rooms. This success completely transformed the fortunes of the family.

Budhi Prakash became a respected hotelier in the tourist town of Manali and the curious entrepreneur in him was now looking for new avenues. That’s when the idea of Air Himalayas struck him.

[caption id="attachment_77541" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Budhi Prakash, Founder, Air Himalayas Budhi Prakash, Founder, Air Himalayas[/caption]
“Manali, though a popular destination, suffers from accessibility issues. There are no trains that ply to Manali and buses take an arduous 12-14 hours of travel from Delhi. This is a huge deterrent for many tourists as it is both time-consuming and strenuous. The Air India flights from Delhi cost around Rs 10,000 for a one way trip during the summer, unaffordable for many people. This made me think that I should introduce a cheaper air travel option so that more tourists can come to my hometown,” says Budhi Prakash.
Next, Budhi Prakash took a blind leap of faith. The investment required for Air Himalayas was huge and Budhi Prakash had no experience in the aviation industry. But he did not allow this to deter him from going ahead.

He secured a bank loan and made his personal investment to found Air Himalayas, the first private aviation company to operate in the region.

[caption id="attachment_77571" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Flagging off of the first Air Himalayas flight Flagging off of the first Air Himalayas flight[/caption] In the summer of 2014, the company started to operate chartered flights on the Chandigarh-Kullu route. “What takes seven hours by road, now just takes 40 minutes by air. And Kullu is just an hour’s distance from Manali. We run a small nine-seater flight and we charge around Rs. 6000 per person," says Budhi Prakash.

He adds, "In our first year of operation, which was just three months during the summer, we were able to serve more than 2,000 tourists. The demand was so high that we flew multiple times in a day.”

[caption id="attachment_77542" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Budhi Prakash with his family on the Air Himalayas flight[/caption] Three years into the business, Budhi Prakash says it has been no bed of roses. Air Himalayas suffered huge losses in 2014 and 2015. One of its founding partners quit and Budhi had to steer the ship all by himself. There were funding hiccups too, which restricted the operations to summer. But Budhi Prakash was in no mood to give up. His relentless hard work helped Air Himalayas break even this year. “The task ahead is tough, but I’ll continue to pursue my dream to bring more and more tourists to Manali,” says Budhi Prakash. You can contact Budhi Prakash at airhimalayas@gmail.com

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This Agro Tech Startup in Telangana Helps Farmers Using Internet Connectivity & Smartphones

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Aside from providing technological assistance to the farmers in Telangana, the start-up called Agrowbook is also helping two young people from a small village to set up a business of gooseberry candies. With digital connectivity slowly spreading to remote parts of the country, farmers in small villages are now becoming empowered with new-found technology in their hands. This fact struck Subhash Lode, an engineer by profession and son of a farmer, on one of his visits to his native village near Yawatmal district in Maharashtra. He saw some of the illiterate farmers using smartphones and that was a pleasant surprise. When he further inquired about what they used their smartphone for, the answers were vague – using certain apps or listening to songs, etc.

That’s when the idea of developing an online platform for farmers struck Subhash. Having earlier worked alongside his father on their own farm, he was familiar with different problems the farmers faced.

[caption id="attachment_80381" align="aligncenter" width="307"]subhash-lode Subhash Lode[/caption] Of these, there were two main issues: logistical difficulties and the lack of knowledge.
“You see, sometimes these problems seem small, but to a farmer, they are huge. For example, to buy seeds, pesticides and fertilisers, a farmer has to go to a ‘krishi kendra’ (agriculture centre), which is located at the ‘taluka’ or ‘mandal’ level. On an average, any village is in a 12-13 km radius from a kendra. The farmer has to spend time as well as money during these trips. Based on the annual schedule of a farmer, it takes at least 20 such trips in a year. So it turns out to be a major drain of meagre resources,” Subhash explains.
Further, the lack of proper knowledge about pesticides and fertilisers among farmers gives the vendors an opportunity to misguide them and maximise their own sales.
“When a farmer observes any pest infection growing on his farm, he goes to the vendor and explains the problem verbally. The vendor then hands him three or four different pesticides with instructions on how to use them. There’s no way for the farmer to know whether or not it is the right pesticide. Big private companies usually reward the vendors in some form when their sales are high and therefore the latter sell even unnecessary products to farmers,” says Subhash.

Also read: Meet the Bangalore Lawyer Who Quit His Job to Become an Organic Farmer, but Didn’t Stop at That!
So when he decided to quit his job in the IT industry and pave the way for his start-up Agrowbook, he decided to focus on these two problems. One and a half years ago, this led to starting a social networking solution for farmers in Telangana. The services Agrowbook offers are simple and effective. The website team appoints a person to be a bridge between both the farmer and the vendor, bringing them together on a single platform to ensure right pricing. This also serves as an online marketplace with a functional supply chain, other than acting as an information hub for users where updates on different government schemes, agricultural news as well as videos, are featured. The platform also runs a helpline for the farmers. A farmer can simply upload the image of his/her pest-infected farm on the platform and receive advice about the pesticide required. The Agrowbook experts conduct the required research and analysis for the farmer’s problem and provide a solution.

After functioning in the online space in the beginning, Agrowbook has also started operating at the ground level in a small village in Telangana.

[caption id="attachment_80378" align="aligncenter" width="3264"]20161116_174523 Agrowbook assists farmers & the youth with technology[/caption]
“The online platform has a user base of around 1,500 farmers. However, we realised that connectivity is still a major issue in small villages and farmers need assistance when it comes to technology,” says Subhash.
Agrowbook has now opened a centre for agricultural assistance in a remote village called Pedanalla Balli in the Khammam district of Telangana. It has set up a broadband facility here, which is used by the farmers as well as the youth in the neighbouring villages free of cost. The start-up helps them get familiar with new technologies and enables them to become effective users. Started two months ago, the centre currently caters to six villages in the area that have a total population of over 7,000. They are also in the process of setting up a telemedicine facility at the centre, where the Agrowbook team will connect the local people with doctors in Hyderabad for online medical assistance. Agrowbook is also working on two new products, one of which is developing a price predictor that would allow a farmer to get an estimate for the price of his crop during the harvest season beforehand. Aside from that, the company is also trying to develop a farmer balance-sheet that would assist him/her in managing finances in a simple manner. The two tools will soon be available in the form of Android applications. Narrating how such projects help make the right connections, he talks about the Koya tribe in the district. “The tribal community lives around 3 km from the Pedanalla Balli village in the forest area and only a few people from the tribe have become a part of mainstream society.” Indian gooseberries, popularly known as ‘amla’, are found in abundance in this area and the tribals make a living by selling the fruit in the local market. Subhash noticed that these tribals only come to the village on the bazaar day and sell the product at a very low price. “I wondered whether there was any way to help them start a profitable business and that’s what led to setting up a business of making amla candy. We identified two young men from the Koya community who were interested in starting an enterprise of their own. They are among the very few from their community to have received formal education,” he says. The two men include Rajesh who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts course, and Ganesh who has completed his education till Class 12.

Agrowbook helped the duo learn the recipes and preservation methods and soon they started manufacturing amla candy at their homes.

[caption id="attachment_80382" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]amla-processing Ganesh and Rajesh Matta have started the business of making amla candy[/caption]
“When we tested the product, it was instantly loved by everyone. Plus, it’s a healthy alternative to chocolate and candy,” says Subhash.
Agrowbook is currently running a crowd-funding campaign to help Rajesh and Ganesh set up a medium-scale production facility in their village. To contribute to their fund-raising campaign, click here. To know more about Agrowbook, visit the official website here.
Also read: Thanks to These 5 Rural Communities, Traditional Indian Plant Varieties Are Making a Comeback!

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This Electrical Engineer and IIM Alumnus Is Now Helping Small Farmers with Her Innovations

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Engineer and business graduate Devi Murthy identified growing difficulties faced by small-scale Indian farmers. A majority of agrarian workers in the country were finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with rising labour costs, but were unable to mechanise their cultivation processes because imported farm equipment was unsuitable to their modest farm sizes. With her farming equipment development company, Kamal Kisan, she began to customise her products to suit the needs of the small-time Indian farmer. In a survey done in 2014 by CSDS it was found that, given an option, 76% of farmers in India would prefer to take up alternative lines of work. Poor income, bleak future prospects and job stress were cited as the main reasons for this trend. The survey covered a comprehensive 5,000 farm households across 18 states. With farmers spending over 40% of their total cultivation costs on labour alone, the profession is no longer deemed profitable inciting over 100,000 farmers to give up farming every year. A lack of relevant technology and the burgeoning costs of labour– increasing by nearly double over every three-year period – set the stage for serious food security concerns by 2020. On the other hand a PTI report, published early in January last year, states that while around 1.5 million engineering students graduate every year in India 80% of them remain unemployed.These students mostly end up working out of their areas of expertise, in roles that don’t interest them.

The founder of Kamal Kisan, Devi Murthy, saw a potential solution to both problems.

[caption id="attachment_80672" align="aligncenter" width="500"]devi1 Devi Murthy[/caption]
“India, as a country, is capable of a lot more innovations in agriculture but we are not doing enough in that area. Indians are known for their jugaad mechanism. We need to take this mechanism to the next level where it gets community focus and not individual focus,” she says.
It was with this belief that Devi– who holds an electrical engineering degree from Drexel University, USA and Masters in Entrepreneurship from IIM, Bangalore –began Kamal Kisan. Her aim was to kick-start a company that would develop cost-effective, smart mechanization solutions for India’s small and marginal farmers, to reduce labour dependence and increase profitability. It was taken for granted that Devi would join the family business, an established sheet metal fabrications and components manufacturing company called Kamal Bells. Keeping with tradition, she joined the firm as Head of Product Development and Business Development and worked at the post for over six years. However she was unable to shake off a desire to begin a project that would create social impact. The idea first occurred to her while she was pursuing her Masters in Entrepreneurship at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore. One of her classmates, who belonged to a farmer’s family, suggested that she use her skills to help farmers. Devi began her journey to start Kamal Kisan by spending two years travelling across the country to meet small farmers. She also visited various institutes such as the CIAE in Bhopal and the UAS in Dharwad. Her research made her realize the large gap that existed between the needs of the Indian farmer and the expensive, large-sized, imported machinery used in farming. Despite the fact that India is the 3rd largest tractor manufacturer in the world, less than 2% of the country’s farmers use mechanization. A dearth of equipment and scarce availability of hands-on-the-ground have driven up labour costs. Farmlands with less than five acres of area constitute more than 80% of farm holdings in the country today. The increasing non-availability of labour has become a major concern among farmers as it leads to low productivity. Furthermore, adapting modern, mechanized techniques in cultivation have proven to be difficult because most available machinery is unsuitable for small farms.

Devi decided to use her machine development skills to help small farmers.

devi1-1
“We, as innovators, never see small farmers as our customers. I think this perspective has to be changed,” says Devi.
A hardcore city girl, Devi had never visited a farm before. But once she became focused on developing products for the sector, she began to attend farmer fairs, travel to fields across the country and survey farmers to better understand their needs and the products already available in the market. Often, she juggled her newfound interest in farm equipment with her day job at the family firm.
“I would sneak out two hours earlier than usual from my regular job and spend time at my workshop in the same facility. I had hired two people with my salary and together we would inspect existing farm equipment from China and tinker around to see how we could make it better and suitable for the Indian farmer,” she recalls.
Finally, with a seed fund of Rs.5 lakh from the Rural Technology and Business Incubator (RTBI) at IIT Madras, Devi began her experiment in 2013. She also received incubation and mentoring from Villgro Innovation Foundation in 2014 to ensure her venture had all the support to succeed.

Kamal Kisan first manufactured a vegetable planter in July 2015. The product was priced low to make it affordable to small farmers. The feedback was overwhelming.

devi1-2
“A small farmer who bought our product was so happy with the reduced labour and cost effectiveness that he personally came to thank me. You get to enjoy such experiences only if you are working for a social impact,” says Devi.
When asked about whether she found her line of work difficult because she was a woman in a typically male-dominated field, she responds positively, saying that her gender never made a difference to the farmers she worked alongside. On the contrary, most people seemed taken with the idea of a foreign-educated girl working for them. Devi soon discovered that it was often times the urban public who came with a discriminatory mind-set with regards to gender-specific work, rather than the vast workforce across rural India.

Today, Kamal Kisan has been able to reach over 800 farmers and deliver a cumulative saving of over Rs. 10 lakh.

devi1-7   At present, the firm has several innovative products for small farms on the market, as well as plans to develop at least two products in the pipeline per year.

Foremost among these is the Vegetable Planter, a handy low-cost machine that eases the cultivating process of most fruit and vegetable saplings with an increased process efficiency.

[caption id="attachment_80680" align="aligncenter" width="500"]female-work-force Kamal Kisan Vegetable Planter[/caption] The planter allows for a single laborer to plant a one acre plot with vegetable seedlings within four hours, as opposed to a conventional planter that requires four laborers to achieve the same results. Furthermore, it is portable and easy to operate, manufactured with high-quality steel and equipped to adjust planting depth according to the seeds being worked with.

Another popular creation is the Kamal Kisan Mulch Layer, a tractor-attached device that can lay plastic mulch sheets between three to four feet, covering soil in a single pass.

[caption id="attachment_80682" align="aligncenter" width="500"]devi1-5 Kamal Kisan Mulch Layer[/caption] The mulch layer has reduced labour requirements from six to just two laborers, while completing the laying of one acre of mulch film within three hours.

The first-of-its-kind Sugarcane Planter has also received positive reviews.

devi1-3 The device combines three processes – ridging, planting and furrowing – to increase efficiency and has reduced the time required to plant a one-acre area to just three hours. Moreover, it mimics current planting methods and easily be can be used with small tractors with powers as low as 30 HP. Apart from these, the company is researching two new products and is soon to launch a mini rice mill.
“I just have one message,” says Devi in conclusion.“There is huge opportunity in this field and more and more people should come forward to use their skills to help our farmers.”
For more information on the products please log on to www.kamalkisan.com   

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One Woman Is Changing Lives of 3,000 Artisans from Remote Indian Villages with Their Own Help

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RangSutra is an artisan collective that has changed the lives of thousands of craftspeople across the country. Ten years ago when Sumita Ghose decided to start her own company to help rural artisans, she needed capital. But no bank was willing to give her a loan because she had nothing to show by way of collateral. Instead of abandoning the idea she turned to weavers and craftspeople and offered them equity. To become shareholders, 1000 artisans invested Rs. 1000 each, providing her with a seed fund of a respectable Rs. 10 lakh. With her own money and contributions from her family, friends and well-wishers, she began the company on a small scale.

Today, she is the founder and managing director of RangSutra, a community-owned business of 3,000 artisans from remote villages and regions across India. 2,200 artisans are direct shareholders and the company has an annual turnover of Rs. 10 crores.

artisan5 RangSutra sells a range of handcrafted products to Fab India, which has been a partner and promoter of village handlooms work and traditional crafts and skills. Its export partner is IKEA, a Swedish multi-national group of companies known for their designs, particularly in furniture. Radha Bai, one of the first shareholders of the company, is proud of how far the venture has come. Her share certificate is framed and prominently displayed on the wall of her home in a Bikaner village. “This is the only punji (financial asset) in my name,” she says. “The land as well the house on which it stands is in the name of my husband.” The framed share certificate announces her arrival in the market place and her acceptance into a competitive world of business. The value of Radha Bai’s share, which was Rs. 100 when she bought it, is now Rs. 600 and like other craftspeople of RangSutra by working four hours a day, she receives a monthly income of between Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 from it. If embroidery work can be combined with the tailoring of outfits, the artisan’s earnings go up to Rs. 12,000. Prior to the company’s intervention in the market and the efforts it made to re-hone and upgrade artisans’ skills, the artisans earned just between Rs. 500 to Rs. 1000 per month.

At present, skilled artisans working full-time earn Rs. 15,000 a month.

artisan1 Now in its 10th year of business, in an effort to reaffirm its faith in its artisan shareholders, RangSutra has decided to take on the entire gamut of operations from designing and production to marketing. It plans to open its own shop in Delhi or Gurgaon with a new range of designs themed ‘Be the Change’. The organisation is also extremely women-centric with a 70% membership of female artisans. Three of the six board members are women and three are artisans. Female empowerment is taken seriously at the firm and as shareholders, RangSutra’s women are expanding their skillset to management. They tend to be vocal about their opinions and do not hesitate to question their managers and even the managing director if there is a delay in the work assigned to them. They also understand the importance of quality in a seller’s market. The company builds on traditional craft skills like hand embroidery, applique, tie-dye, handloom weaving, engineered weaving, extra weft weaving, leather craft, silver jewellery and beads. The products are innovative, combining the creation of aesthetic beauty with strong ethical work practices.

RangSutra’s philosophy is ‘Respect for all—the producer, shareholder and the customer.’

dastkar-shop The company’s business model entails working with group. After beginning with three clusters, it now works with 35 groups of artisans in UP, MP, Rajasthan, West Bengal, and Manipur. In Manipur, the organisation works in collaboration with the Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network and in Madhya Pradesh with women who have given up scavenging to become artisans. Fifty women have become crafts managers and have greater responsibilities. Artisans are involved at all levels of the production chain from sourcing material and weaving and dyeing fabrics, to product development and quality control of the final product. Since 2011, RangSutra has also focused on workshops for the development, monitoring and quality control of new products. The workshops impart management and planning skills to those handling groups of artisans, like tracking orders and ensuring timely delivery, leading to a significant jump in orders. The cutting of kurtas and other apparel has been centralised in Bikaner. The stitching is also done in Bikaner and Mirzapur to ensure standardisation of quality. The embroidery embellishment happens in village centres and garments are dry cleaned to ensure they are spotless and that the fabric colours don’t run. Even the waste material collected from the stitching of kurtas and cushion covers are used to make patchwork bedspreads, bags and mobile phone covers.

While RangSutra takes on young artisans of 16 or 17 as apprentices, the average age of a craftsperson involved in the project is between 30 to 40 years.

artisan3 It also engages older artisans in their sixties, but finds that it is easier to mould younger ones. Meharunnisa, in her mid-forties, is a shareholder and a tie-dye specialist from Bikaner. Her association with RangSutra began after two-and-a-half years of intense training. With her confidence level at an all-time high, she says “my work lets people know about me, my ability to supply in bulk and the finesse involved”. Meharunnisa earns Rs.12,000 a month and is confident of handling export orders that adhere to global standards. Badii Bai, who specializes in embroidery, is the anchor of a women artisans group in a village in the Pugal division of Bikaner. Having worked with RangSutra since its inception, she says “Many women in my village are shareholders. We work together as a family with customers, suppliers and RangSutra to ensure better returns. We have a sense of ownership and pride and a feeling that this is more than just a job. We don’t have to go beyond our homes for work. Our clients come for hundreds of miles to look at our work and lives. We have a glorious past and look forward to a richer future.” Jaan Mohammed is the solitary block printer in Bikaner city and revels in his status. He works from home, a home he built with three years’ worth of the earnings he saved after starting work with RangSutra. He has co-opted his wife to work with him so that the family has a better life.

Like Jaan Mohammed, Nirmala Devi, an embroidery artisan from Mirzapur, has been able to establish herself so well that she could afford to request her husband Anil, working in Kolhapur, to return and work alongside her.

[caption id="attachment_80826" align="aligncenter" width="500"]nirmala-devi-getting-a-certificate-after-training Nirmala Devi receiving a certificate after training.[/caption] Nirmala is a vyavasthaapak, or a manager. Before joining the RangSutra team she was a member of a women SHG (self-help group), Swami Vivekanands Shiksha Samiti. She was married at 19 and soon found that her in-laws did not want her to step out of the house to work, so she began to make kurtas and children’s clothes at home. On meeting the RangSutra team, she showed them samples of her work and was sent for a week-long training session at a stitching workshop in Jaunpur. She was even able to go on an ‘exposure visit’ to RangSutra’s base in Bikaner and came back inspired.

Nirmala Devi is independent. She has a regular inflow of work and uses her time to help other women sustain their own needs as well as aspirations just like she does. With a daughter who needs medical help because she suffers from a growth disorder, Nirmala is determined to increase her earnings and her capacity to become an independent entrepreneur.

[caption id="attachment_80827" align="aligncenter" width="1280"]nirmala-devi-training-others Nirmal Devi at a training session.[/caption] Omprakash, in his late thirties, is associated with the Napasar handloom cluster as part of the RangSutra Craft Duniya Producer Company. He works with 250 weavers to keep alive the craft of lohi, a light-weight, hand-woven blanket. Each weaver produces eight to 10 meters per day, which is small in these days of mass production. Omprkash’s work showcases that craft heritage can be kept alive with artisans maintaining world-class standards. Radha bai, Badli Bari and Nirmala Devi signify a new dawn for craftspeople on the margins. They are making their presence felt in society, their voices are beginning to matter at home and women like them are being emboldened to educate their daughters and become leaders in village forums. Know more about RangSutra here.

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This College Dropout from Assam Has over 140 Agricultural Innovations to His Credit!

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Advances in technology are key to the future of agriculture as farmers strive to feed the world with limited natural resources and combat climate change. It was with this in mind that ace innovator Uddhab Bharali began inventing and came up with over 140 gadgets whose simplicity of design and mechanism mask their usefulness in agricultural work. Based in Lakhimpur on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra in Assam, Bharali says his vision is "to change the agriculture scenario and boost the economy while being environmentally responsible". From simple tasks like pomegranate deseeding and peeling cassava to bigger ones like paddy seeding and processing tea, Bharali has designed machines for a range of uses.

Here's is the story of  'serial innovator' Uddhab Bharali, a man whose energy-efficient and low-cost machines are simplifying several agricultural processes for many.

[caption id="attachment_81289" align="aligncenter" width="800"]yourstory-uddhab-bharali Dr. Uddhab Bharali with his innovations[/caption]
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Born in a middle-class business family in North Lakhimpur District of Assam, Bharali completed his schooling from Lakhimpur. The academically bright Bharali was often asked by his teacher to stand outside the class because he asked 'difficult questions' in mathematics.
"I loved mathematics. I even tutored some of my classmates to help them get good grades. After completing first grade, I was promoted to third grade and from Class VI, I was promoted to Class VIII," he states.
After graduating from school at 14, Bharali decided to take admission in the Jorhat Engineering College. However, had to drop out of engineering college because he could not afford to pay the fees and had to care for his family. In order to pay his father's debts and to cater to his natural flair of developing new machines, he developed a new polythene making machine to cater to the demand from surrounding tea estates in Assam.
Also Read: How a School Dropout from Telangana Made It to the Forbes List of 7 Powerful Rural Entrepreneurs!
This new machine was developed at a subsidized cost of 67,000 INR as compared to the exorbitantly priced branded machines which then costed around 4 lakh rupees.
"People who craft success stories usually say that they started their journey from zero; I started from minus Rs.18 lakh. That was the amount of debt on my family. In 1987, the bank authorities told us that we would have to vacate our home if we did not pay them the money. The odd jobs I took was not enough to support my family. I was aware that a company was looking for innovators who could design a polythene-making machine. But since the existing product was available for a price of Rs 4 lakh, I knew that if I wanted the deal, I would have to create a design that would cost less than that," says Bharali, who was 23-years-old at that time.
The success of this machine gave Bharali the confidence to develop more machines. After repaying his father's debts, in 1995, Bharali got a contract for the maintenance of the machinery used in a hydro power project in Arunachal Pradesh but he had to return home after three years as his elder brother had passed away due to liver sclerosis. [caption id="attachment_81295" align="aligncenter" width="800"]uddhab-bharali-the-man-from-assam-with-118-incredible-inventions-4 Uddhab Bharali in his workshop[/caption]
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As the only earning member, he knew that it was up to him to take care of his family's needs and pledged not only to earn enough to sustain his family, but also to help resurrect the lives of others living below the poverty line. With this vision  in mind, he concentrated on making products to serve rural public and commercial purposes. Talking about the challenges and failures that came his way during this time, Bharali says,
"I have seen so many low moments in my life. Had I sat back and complained, I would never have known what I was capable of. I kept working and thinking until I overcame whatever hurdle came my way. So, I believe failure is just a situation. Your action is the solution."
His early days of creating machines to simplify laborious tasks like peeling garlic or cassava were challenging, he says, recalling how he was constantly mocked for not doing something 'worthwhile'. But he was undeterred. From 1990 to 2005, he invented 24 machines. [caption id="attachment_81293" align="aligncenter" width="600"]uddhab-bharali-from-assam-has-invented-over-100-engineering-devices Uddhab Bharali experimenting with his pomegranate de-seeder[/caption]
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In 2005, Bharali's talent came to the attention of the National Innovation Foundation, Ahmedabad and they took him aboard as a grassroots innovator. In 2006, his design for a pomegranate de-seeding machine was recognised as the first of its kind not only in India, but across the world. This machine could separate the outer hard skin from the inner thin membrane without any damage to the seed, easily de-seeding around 55 kg of pomegranates per hour. Orders started pouring in, including for export to Turkey and the US after that, and he finally made his mark as an innovator. And since then, there has been no looking back for him. [caption id="attachment_81296" align="aligncenter" width="755"]uddhab-bharali-and-pomegranate-deseeder1 Uddhab Bharali's pomegranate de-seeder[/caption]
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Bharali also developed an areca nut peeling device that could peel around 120 nuts in a single minute. With the aid of National Innovation Foundation, this and the other machines he invented (for different operations such as cassava peeling, splitting long lengths of bamboo, sizing, surface finishing etc) were installed at North Cachar hills. Reducing hours of back-breaking labour, his simple innovations were a great help to the large number of local people for whom agriculture was the sole source of livelihood. In addition to these devices, many of his innovations like remi recortication machine, garlic peeling machine, tobacco leaf cutter, paddy thresher, cane stripping machine, brass utensil polishing machine, safed musli peeling machine, jatropha de-seeder, mechanised weeding machine, passion fruit juice extractor, trench digger and a chopper for cattle and fisheries feed are popular and being used in foreign countries. [caption id="attachment_81294" align="aligncenter" width="550"]uddhab-bharali-from-assam-has-invented-over-100-engineering-devices-11 Uddhab Bharali's areca nut peeler[/caption]
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Among his popular innovations is the mini tea plant for green tea and Crush Tear Curl (CTC) tea, aimed at helping the growing population of small tea growers of Assam.
"The plant consumes only 2 kW of electricity, equivalent to the power consumption of an average household, and can be run by semi-skilled labour. Green tea from this machine has fetched Rs.3,000 per kg in tea auctions. And the machine only costs Rs. 3.75 lakh. There is already a huge demand for it," Bharali says, adding that he hopes that the machine will end the exploitation of small tea growers by big tea companies.
Bharali's cement brick-making machine is another marvel that can be operated by anyone—including people with disabilities. The Central Silk board sought his guidance to redesign a sophisticated reeling machine. He also designed a stevia pulveriser & passion fruit gel extractor for North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project (NERCRMP). Recently, he has invented a paddy seeding machine that doubles the rice yield while making the entire process easier and less time consuming. Resembling a cart, the machine, priced at a modest Rs.3,000, will also yield better quality rice because the seeds are encased in plant protection and germinating material. Supported by the Assam Agricultural University, the 'Uddhab' machine is now ready to be introduced to the farmers' community. Apart from the economic benefits, all of Bharali's machines are environmentally responsible.
"The brick kilns for example are a major source of pollution, but the one that I have designed causes no such harm to the environment. My innovations are mostly manually operated—which keeps the cost in check too—and consumes minimum power," says the innovator, who has received several awards, including NASA's prestigious Technology Award and the President's award for Grassroots Innovators in 2009.
[caption id="attachment_81298" align="aligncenter" width="580"]13uddhab2 Bharali (extreme left) receives the National Grassroots Innovation Award in 2009 from former President Pratibha Patil[/caption]
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Besides innovating new machines, Bharali likes to read books on medicine and also has an informal degree in Homeopathy. He also makes time for philanthropic work. Most of his innovations are available commercially and are exported as well, and he holds copyright for each of them, but a large part of the profit goes into his research and in supporting 21 families (whose main breadwinner is disabled) including health, education, food and clothing. His favourite innovation, in fact, is the one that helps people with disabilities—those who have lost their hands—to eat and clean themselves. He has opened the UKD Trust through which he gives a monthly pension of Rs 1,200 each per month to six widows, while three physically challenged persons get Rs 2,500 each per month. He also runs a small research and training institute where he educates and train underprivileged students for three months on technology and its applications. Currently, he is in the process of setting up an orphanage, an old age home and a museum at his humble abode for students to take a look at all his innovations and understand how they work. Says Bharali,
"Through my innovations, I want to reach out to those who are living below the poverty line, nationally and internationally. I don't want to make any profits for myself. I have made that clear to my family as well. Sometimes they think I am crazy, but I think it is the want of luxuries that drives you crazy. I believe that if you cannot help society through your knowledge and capabilities, you are living a worthless life."
A guest faculty member in all the prominent varsities of Assam, Bharali is invited to the various Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) for lectures. A technical adviser to Rural Technology Action Group (RUTAG) for the advancement of technology at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, Bharali has also been awarded a doctorate from the Assam Agricultural University. He has also been featured in History Channel's TV Show, 'OMG! Yeh Mera India'. We salute the spirit of this ace innovator and wish him all the best in all his future ventures! Contact details- Mr. Uddhab Bharali K B Road, North Lakshimpur Assam: 787001 Email: ukbharali@yahoo.co.in
Also Read: TBI Blogs: This MBA Dropout Is on a 52-Week Journey to Discover 52 Innovators Across the Country

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Real Housewives of India: Not So Desperate Now

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Meet five incredible women on their journeys from homemakers to successful entrepreneurs. A particularly belligerent Quora post asks, ‘What is the difference between a homemaker and a housewife?’ The Internet, being the 'fount of human wisdom' that it is, produced some real gems in response like -- 'Nothing. They are both euphemisms for unemployed married woman. Both are of no use to society and they contribute nothing to the economy.’ This comment is a case-in-point for the stereotypes that accompany these labels, and the challenges that generations of women have had to confront. Housewives -- domestic goddesses who come equipped with inbuilt baby monitors, God-given cooking skills, a compulsion to gossip and, of course, lifetime kitty-party memberships. The term denigrates in a twofold manner: the first half, ‘house’, refers to the space the woman is resigned to occupy, and the latter, ‘wife’, implies that her primary role is, in fact, secondary. It defines a woman’s occupation in terms of her relationship to a man -- she is a spouse first, and everything else later. (Heaven forbid the same conditions are ever applied to men: a househusband? Ridiculous!)
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Some women speak of how staying at home was expected of them post-marriage, or after the birth of a child. Others describe how they were looked down upon for choosing to quit successful careers and stay home to manage their households. But one thing remains common: the homemaker label comes replete with preconceived notions. At a time when the establishment of gender equality at the workplace is a global hot topic, an exploration into the lives of Indian women who reclaimed the term ‘housewife’, seems to be the call of the day. Many have found unique ways to reconcile with their identities, within the home and beyond it. Meet five homemakers-turned-entrepreneurs from India:

Raksha Bharadia, author and founder of the Indian couples’ relationship website bonobology.com says, “(With women), the priority will never be work, unless the house is running on the wife’s income.”

[caption id="attachment_81261" align="aligncenter" width="720"]Raksha Bharadia, author and founder of bonobology.com Raksha Bharadia, author and founder of bonobology.com[/caption] Her opinion is based on her work with the website, a forum for real-life stories of couple relationships, discussions and counselling. She has made efforts to retain her brand as a non-judgemental space, publishing articles and allowing comments that provide multiple perspectives on the functioning of romantic relationships.
“Recently, we were looking for cases of couples wherein the man made a professional decision based on his wife’s career,” she says. “And till now we haven’t found a single case where a man has moved cities because his wife was offered a promotion. This will never happen if a woman is only earning about 40% of her husband’s income. It’s just reality.”
There is nothing wrong with this logic, at face value. After all, in an equal relationship, it makes sense to prioritise the career of the primary breadwinner while making decisions. What is problematic is that by-and-large, since men are still viewed as ‘providers’, their partners’ opinions are considered less relevant. Personally, Raksha has never found the term ‘housewife’ offensive, although she admits that it is often accompanied by prejudice. Her family was supportive of her decision to ‘do more’ after her initial years of marriage and motherhood. But she points out that in many cases this support is contingent on one, basic condition - “However much a woman works she still has to manage home stuff. The man won’t take leave if the kids are sick. As a woman, you’re not judged for working, you just can’t falter in your ‘home work’. If you are doing your duties at home, then you’re termed a superwoman. And if you slip, you’re termed as negligent.”

Sunita Padwal concurs. Back in 2007, this stay-at-home mum launched Cloud 9, her own beauty salon in Aurangabad.

[caption id="attachment_81260" align="aligncenter" width="1232"]Sunita Padwal, Founder of Cloud 9, Aurangabad Sunita Padwal, Founder of Cloud 9, Aurangabad[/caption] “With the background I come from, it’s more socially acceptable to be seen as a good wife and mother. People assume that a good businesswoman does a sub-par job of raising her children, or that her home is a mess. I’ve never been ashamed of any of these roles.”

There are few hats that 54-year-old Mayavi Khandelwal hasn’t worn in her off-the-beaten-path career.

image4 She’s a trained psychoanalytic psychotherapist, has dabbled in the cold ceramic work trade, designed clothes, ran her own homemade chocolate business and, a few years ago, launched a vegan tiffin service. But her initial forays into entrepreneurship were met with scepticism from within her own home. Back in 1990, after the birth of her first child, Mayavi spoke about starting her career. “My mother-in-law told me that my father-in-law wouldn’t like it if I started to work,” she recalls. “I was very upset. I went straight to my husband and he told me to go ahead. I started from home.” Mayavi admits to periods of depression, where she felt ‘useless’ and ‘bored’ with her homemaker routine and guilty that the onus of financially providing for the family had been placed entirely on her husband’s shoulders. “It was not just the money. I wanted the satisfaction that I was contributing. I looked at other women like me and couldn’t understand how they were happy.”

Like Mayavi, the journey from mom to CEO was a long one for Merryn Mathew, owner of a niche sari boutique, Iha.

[caption id="attachment_81270" align="aligncenter" width="640"]Merryn Mathew, Founder of Iha Merryn Mathew, Founder of Iha[/caption] Her work involves sourcing saris, interacting with weavers across the country and handling orders both in-store and online, via Facebook. Even today, years after opening the store from her own home, Merryn is clear that her job as full-time mother-of-two takes precedence. The boundaries between work and family frequently overlap, and that’s the way she likes it. “In today's world, where the lines defining the roles of partners are blurred, I feel the term housewife is almost redundant," she says. "I guess the partner that circumstantially takes on more home-based responsibilities can still be referred to as the ‘homemaker’ in the pair. If there are kids involved, the ‘homemaker’ also becomes ‘primary parent’. Personally, I am indifferent to taking on any title.”
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However, Merryn admits that despite the fact that she runs a successful business with an international customer-base, others often react with pity or disdain when they find out she works from home. “People say, ‘Oh! She is so old fashioned!’ or, ‘Poor thing, she lacks the drive that most ambitious women have today.’ ‘She is so not cool.’ But I say it with pride and I know how much self-drive and prioritisation are needed to work from home.” For Bangalore-based eco-jewellery designers Rituparna Das and Angeline Robinson, it was their children who got them to take the plunge. The two women are neighbours and business partners, now running Silver Nut Tree where they handcraft beautiful jewellery from recycled plastic PET bottles. The idea evolved while helping their kids with a school project. Although they do visit flea markets occasionally, like Merryn, they work almost entirely from home. While this seems to work for them, other women discovered that it was the process of actually leaving the confines of their residences that provided them with a newfound independence. “It’s a funny thing,” Mayavi quips. “When someone physically goes out and brings home money, it’s worthwhile.” Despite myriad sworn testaments to the trials of homemakers, the myth of the housewife spending large parts of her day in a vacuous daze, waiting around for her husband and children to return, seems to be universal. So much so that Raksha even admits her partner was relieved to get her off his back when she first propositioned a career for herself. “Honestly, most Indian working men just want to feel that their wives are happy and occupied,” she says. The sentiment is pervasive. ‘What do you do all day?’ seems to be a recurring question stay-at-home spouses are asked. “What do you mean what do I do all day?” Mayavi reacts indignantly. “Honestly, I think life is far more difficult for a homemaker. I get away with a lot now that I am working. I can say, ‘I’m too busy to do this!’ Before, I would kill myself if the maid didn’t come!” Rituparna and Angeline, on the other hand, felt that they disappointed many when they quit their high-profile careers for full-time motherhood. But this didn’t feel like a sacrifice on their part. It was only after their children began school that they toyed with the idea of going back to work. “We were reluctant to get back to the regular rat race and longed for something of our own,” they explain. “Something that would excite us enough to wake up and get going on a Monday morning.” Their journey to entrepreneurship was fraught with encouragement, but for many women who chose to storm the world of business after time spent at home, the decision was as much about gaining social respect as financial independence. “There was this one time my husband complained that there was too much dust around. I must have been in an independent mood because I told him, ‘there’s a yellow kapada (dustcloth) in the kitchen, you can go get it,’” Mayavi chortles at the memory. “But you know, I realised I could only say that because, at that point, I too was working. I wouldn’t have been able to if I wasn’t. “After so many years (of being a businesswoman), people look up to me. They admire my passion and respect me more than before.” Sunita admits familial support can go a long way. “This will sound cliched, but my husband has always been my biggest cheerleader,” she says. “When I initially began, a lot of my relatives didn’t react very favourably - why did I need to all do this when my husband was earning well? Why were my priorities all muddled up (my daughter was giving her board exams at the time)? My father gave me a piece of his mind when I was late, or had to leave the kids with my mother, while I was in Mumbai training to become a hair stylist. Now that I have a successful business, people appreciate it more. When I get asked about how I juggle home and work -- I always give the credit to my excellent domestic help!” Despite the highs, many women are unable to shake off the guilt. “How is guilt still there?” questions Raksha. “It’s rooted in the way we’re brought up. Today, a woman and man have both grown up with their mothers being the homemaker. So that’s what they think is natural in their adult lives. Our kids will maybe have 50% of that. So it’ll take four to five generations for complete equality.”

In spite of the exhausting reality of juggling entrepreneurship, parenting and domestic chores, these women have no regrets.

[caption id="attachment_81262" align="aligncenter" width="400"]Rituparna Das and Angeline Robinson of Silver Nut Tree Rituparna Das and Angeline Robinson of Silver Nut Tree[/caption] Merryn encourages all who find ways to work from home. “I say it with pride that I solely play the role of motivator, grocery shopper, kitchen planner, educator, driver, nurse , party planner, holiday planner, weekend planner etc, etc, and still contribute as much as my partner towards paying the bills. The most amazing thing is that I do it all on my terms.” Mayavi shares her enthusiasm, “To all housewives who are toying with the idea of starting their own venture, I say - ‘just do it!’”
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Bamboo’s Boon: This Entrepreneur’s Mission Is to Reduce Plastic Waste & Make Farmers Independent!

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Agricultural entrepreneur Yogesh Shinde is trying to reduce the use of plastic by manufacturing and promoting bamboo products through his venture Bamboo India.
"I always ask people one question: how long has it been since you thought about your toothbrush?” says Yogesh Shinde.“Yes, a toothbrush! It’s such a small product amidst the plethora of personal care products that we use. Let me share some facts about the toothbrush that are certain to make you want to take your toothbrush seriously.”

And he goes on to explain what he means with some statistics.

[caption id="attachment_82472" align="aligncenter" width="254"]yogeshshinde Yogesh Shinde, Founder of Bamboo India[/caption]
“Plastic toothbrushes are the secind largest plastic waste generated after plastic bags. Just in India, more than 150 million plastic toothbrushes are thrown into the garbage every month. Every part of the toothbrush - the handle, as well as the bristles - is made from petroleum-based plastic, which does not biodegrade for thousands of years. So, all the plastic toothbrushes made since 1938, when they were made for the first time, still exist somewhere on this planet.”
Yogesh is an agricultural entrepreneur who started Bamboo India, a company that makes bamboo-based eco-friendly products. The company has engaged farmers from the village Velhe, near Pune in Maharashtra, to manufacture products like toothbrushes, speakers, clothing pegs, desk organizers, utility stands and sky lanterns from bamboo. Although the company has informally been active for over two years now, Bamboo India set up their official online store only recently, in June 2016. Since then, the company has completed over 2,000 orders and has had a turnover of over Rs. 50 lakh, according to Yogesh.
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“It’s still a very nascent company, but we have made a good start. 2,000 orders don’t exactly equate to 2000 products sold. For example, one of our clients was the company ToothBox based in Hyderabad. They had ordered 3,000 toothbrushes from us and that was just one order,” he says. Born and brought up in an urban middle class family in Pune, Yogesh had no connection to agriculture. After completing his Masters from the University of Pune, he joined the IT industry and became settled in the comfortable lifestyle of an IT professional. The change happened when he travelled to Europe and stayed at different places in the continent over a span of four years. During his stay, he came across a very different picture of farmers - independent, financially well-off and happy. He had never witnessed farmers like this in his own country.
“I came back to India eventually, but that wonder remained rooted in my mind. I remember feeling that something needed to be done for our farmers after I had seen that farmers could be rich and happy. Eventually, I bought a farm house near Velhe. As I started spending more time at the farm house, I started getting to know the local farmers, made acquaintances with them and came to understand their problems,” says Yogesh.

Day by day, Yogesh became more sure about what he wanted to do.

[caption id="attachment_82476" align="aligncenter" width="960"]bambooIndia3 Different products by Bamboo India[/caption] After thorough research, and advice from Hemant Bedekar, a Pune-based septuagenarian who conducts research on bamboo, Yogesh came to the conclusion that making bamboo products could be the best entrepreneurial option for the farmers in the villages of Velhe, Bhor, Panshet, and Mulshi, all adjacent to Pune. He then quit his job as the Assistant VP of Barclays Bank, gathered 10 farmers from the village of Velhe and set up a small manufacturing unit in his farm house. Initially, everything was trial and error. Yogesh himself learned how to make the products and taught the farmers personally. He then started selling these products to his friends, family members, and acquaintances.

Word-of-mouth sales meant he was soon getting orders from friends-of-friends and friends-of-acquaintances.

[caption id="attachment_82481" align="aligncenter" width="960"]bambooIndia Bamboo toothbrushes in the making[/caption] At present, Yogesh has a lot of plans for the expansion of Bamboo India. He has 40 new products in the pipeline and plans to engage over 100 farmer families in the business by the end of 2017. Although the company has seen a profitable beginning, there’s still the major hurdle of cost effectiveness.
“It is true that more people are becoming aware and are asking for alternatives. But the fact remains that there’s a huge difference in the prices of plastic products and bamboo products. While a bamboo toothbrush costs Rs. 100, a plastic toothbrush can cost as low as Rs. 20. Many toothpaste companies give free toothbrushes nowadays. Naturally, it’s hard to compete with that kind of pricing,” says Yogesh.
Though there are hurdles, Yogesh is optimistic about the future. He is currently trying to collaborate with partners from the corporate field as well as the government. The entrepreneur believes that bamboo is the product of the future and is looking forward to that future.
“Bamboo is a strong, environment-friendly, sustainable and renewable material. There’s so much that we can do with bamboo. This is just the beginning. My mission is to help reduce plastic waste in the world. The more bamboo products I sell, the less there’s plastic waste. So our pledge is to reduce one million kilogrammes of plastic waste from being generated in the world by the end of 2017. I know it sounds ambitious but my team and I are hopeful, as well as determined,” he concludes.

Also read: How a 25-Year-Old Delhi Boy Is Creating Solar Entrepreneurs in Rural India

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TBI Blogs: “The Student’s Nobel Prize” Is Now in India, and It’s Open to Students From 150+ Universities!

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Solving the world’s pressing problems will require innovation and forward thinking by the leaders of tomorrow. A global prize is offering students from the world’s leading universities the chance to do just that, and get some cool exposure in the bargain. The Hult Prize is a massive global platform for Students  across more than 650 universities around the world, promoting social innovation and entrepreneurship. Founded in 2009 , it was named one of the “Top 5 Ideas Changing the World” in 2012 by former American President Bill Clinton and TIME Magazine. Noble Laureate Mohammad Yunus calls it “the student’s Noble Prize”. This year teams from 50 top Indian Universities participated at the Hult Prize India National Finals at Gurugram on January 15.

10 selected teams will represent India at the Global Regional Finals on March 3 at London, Boston, San Francisco, Dubai, and Shanghai.

[caption id="attachment_85070" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Amit Boni Head of Motorola India makes a point at Hult Prize India National Finals at VClub Gurugram, Jan 15. Amit Boni, Head, Motorola India, makes a point at the Hult Prize India National Finals at VClub Gurugram, Jan. 15.[/caption] Each year, in August, President Clinton announces a problem statement on one of the pressing global issues, to challenge students to come up with disruptive solutions. Student teams from around the world work on it to develop unique ideas. The best ideas from each University compete at the National level. The selected teams compete at the Global level, culminating at an intensive accelerator at Boston, followed by the Grand Finals hosted by Clinton at New York. The winner gets a million dollar seed fund, visibility, branding, and investor attention to start-up their social enterprise. All participating teams earn valuable insight, knowledge, experience, and a positive world view. The Hult Prize promotes social enterprise rather than charity, so that doing good is sustainable and scalable. The idea is to introduce, at a very young age, the thought of doing businesses in a way that they benefit the under-served and under-privileged sections of society with dignity.

Conversely, it is the art of doing good in a way that doing good is financially self-sustaining, generates revenue, attracts and retains talent, and goes to scale.

[caption id="attachment_85472" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Hult Prize Global Finals, 2012 (Source: Flickr) Hult Prize Global Finals, 2012 (Source: Flickr)[/caption] The millennial generation are the generation of achievers who are in their finest when helping others, while enhancing themselves. The “larger good” and the “bottom lines” become mutually complementary rather than “mutually excluding”. They make “Purpose” with “Profit” their objective. The Hult Prize introduces the idea of entrepreneurship to social objectives at a very early stage. Student participation from around the world has been very enthusiastic, year after year. Hence, the Hult Prize is now a student-driven movement in over 650 Universities, in over 100 countries. In India, the participation has grown from 12 campuses in January 2016 to over 50 in January 2017. Several last-minute entries had to be turned down. Directors at Aravindam Foundation, the designated Indian Hult Prize representative, are confident of reaching 150 campuses for January 2018. University campus director enrolments will open in June this year. The information will be on the Hult Prize India Facebook page and the Hult Prize India website. Selected student campus directors earn the opportunity to design, plan, and execute their campus edition of Hult Prize. They also join a network of passionate do-gooders, and receive a certificate signed by President Bill Clinton. Contribute to Aravindam to create online and field-based career support for under-served children. Send an email to know more.

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How a Former CA Started a Vegan Footwear Brand to Offer Indians a Viable Alternative to Leather

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“I am an animal lover.” Devika Srimal Bapna begins talking with the simplest statement of purpose behind her brand Kanabis. Her enduring affection for all things four-legged and her tryst as a PETA volunteer led this Delhi resident towards a more conscious lifestyle. She mostly succeeded, except when it came to her footwear. “I couldn’t find an alternative to leather,” says Devika. “I lived in London, and leather was often the only option in the cold. When I came back to India, I noticed a serious gap in the market. There were big brands that manufactured only leather and the alternatives rarely scored on quality.” Not one to let her feet suffer either leather or inferior shoes, she decided to take matters in her own hands.

In 2015, Devika launched Kanabis, a vegan footwear label made in India and approved by PETA.

Kanabis 3 It wasn’t an easy transition for Devika who has no background in design. Having trained as a CA, she worked at corporate houses like Ernst & Young and Deloitte before doing a 180 degree professional turn. “It was quite a leap for me. But Kanabis will be two years old soon and the response to the brand has been phenomenal. Kanabis specialises in women’s footwear crafted from leather substitutes like canvas and jute. What truly sets the brand apart is its unwavering emphasis on design and quality, two aspects often overlooked by mass manufacturers that rely on these materials.
As Devika puts it: “Our shoes are fashionable, durable, and cruelty free. Every part of the shoes is tested, right down to the soles. I even wear all the designs myself to check their durability and take personal note of any issues we receive from our customers.”
“We also keep track of trends too and try to come up with new designs every two months,” she adds. While canvas shoes may conjure images of your tennis sneakers (and the label sure does boast a sold-out pair of white sneakers), Kanabis also offers variations in heels, flats and even cruelty-free boots, which are remarkably difficult to find otherwise.
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Devika started with 22 designs. Today, Kanabis has over 60 styles in its catalogue, boasting beautiful colours, prints and embroidery.

“We are a small team and have a very hands-on approach,” Devika says. Case in point: if you call up the brand’s customer care number, chances are that the founder will take the call herself.

Devika Srimal1 Needless to say, one of Devika’s biggest challenges have been logistical, starting from sourcing materials from vendors in and around Delhi NCR, assembling the designs, packaging, quality control, sales and marketing. The Indian fashion industry reports an ever-increasing demand for cruelty-free products from customers. Yet there are few alternatives, especially in case of segments like footwear. Even when alternatives do exist, they are limited to high-end fashion goods that aren’t always affordable.
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Devika shuns any kind of leather, suede or fur in her designs, and is a fervent animal activist. “It was my childhood dream to have a pet, but my folks weren’t keen on having one,” she says. “I make up for it by playing with stray dogs and cats — they have names and even recognise me from my car.” Any time she spots an injured animal, Devika takes it to the NGO Friendicoes. “During a crowdfunding campaign for our brand, we donated part of the money raised to a cow shelter in East Kailash, Delhi,” she adds.

Marrying great design with a cruelty-free approach has helped Devika reach out to customers who seek products that don’t blatantly disregard the environment.

Kanabis 1 Greater sustainability is always on the entrepreneur's mind. “We still have to use a little plastic in manufacturing our shoes. I’d love to look for an alternative and make my shoes eco-friendly,” she says, in the midst of conceptualising a recycling initiative. “We want to start a way to recycle old shoes into new designs. We are in conversation with factories to supply discarded pairs, and would also like to encourage customers to bring their old shoes.” In less than two years, Kanabis has expanded to eight multi-brand stores, and is also available online. Gearing up to expand all over the country via social media, exhibitions and more retail presence, Devika in on a mission to prove that it doesn’t take leather to put your best foot forward. Check out Kanabis products on their website. To get in touch with Devika, click here.

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Swooning Over China’s Vertical Gardens? Just Grow a Vertical Garden in Your Own Terrace!

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Gardening can be an enriching hobby and an ideal way to grow your own foods. But for the urban dweller, gardening is often restricted by a variety of reasons, including space. After all, how many people can boast the pleasure of having space for a garden. But now, there’s a solution.

Presenting Altifarm, a tech-driven mobile gardening unit that allows you to have a patch of green irrespective of space.

Altifarm 2 The man behind these innovative farms is 31-year-old Arun Raj who runs Primus Design, a boutique industrial design studio comprising a 10-member strong team of designers, engineers and technicians. Working to develop products in electronics, consumer durables and FMCG domains, among others, it was his work that led him to develop the Altifarm concept.
“We were working on a project of a bespoke modular garden installation of a much larger size in granite with a Swiss client,” Arun says. "We had interactions on making a modular gardening product for people like myself, which led to multiple rounds of design and development, leading to Altifarm. Our association is still strong and he was our first overseas customer; they help us with our distribution in Europe.”
To put it simply, Altifarm is a four-tiered mobile garden that can be set up anywhere. It consists of four self-watering tiers - with a collective area of only about one square metre — held together by a metal frame. An inner tray holds the growing medium in cones that are immersed in water in the reservoir pockets of the outer tub. This medium in the cone allows more water to pass upwards to the plant roots while ventilation holes in the inner trays facilitate oxygen circulation.

The mobile garden kit seems designed to resolve the numerous crises of the urban horticulturist.

Altifarm 4 As it’s often said, the devil is in the details. The metal frame is powder-coated to prevent rust, and the wicking cones can pass water without resorting to electricity. The trays are height-adjustable to account for the growing trees. Altifarm also addresses issues of space constraint, lack of natural light and oxygen, and even the grower’s lack of time.
“As a resident of Mumbai, who lives in an apartment, I know how important space is, in an urban setting. Our biggest constraint was trying to get maximum growth area from a minimal foot print,” says Arun. “Innovative autonomous self-watering technology was incorporated so that users could be decoupled from routine watering and guesswork. We even thought of Growlights as an expansion pack, to address the lack of sunlight. Wheeled mobility and Greenhouse Packs were also introduced, for convenience and all-weather use in colder regions respectively.”
Designing a self-sustaining, mobile garden is easier said than done. It took three years of research and development to launch the product, and Arun acknowledges that it’s an ongoing process.
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“We started off in 2014 with paper sketches and made a proof-of-concept with Acrylic sheets and held them on basic frame made from hardware pipes. This gave us an idea of real world scale. This was followed by intensive CAD based design, followed by 3D printing for trials and moved on to mould-making. We had the first product ready by late 2014. The perfectionists in us saw scope for improvising the same. We took feedback from the market, went back to drawing board and started from scratch!”

Launched in the beginning of February 2017, this is Altifarm 2.0 and the team believes it’s their best yet.

Altifarm 3 “All the learning we had over the years as a design studio has been distilled into the Altifarm,” says Arun. “It has helped us meet amazing people and take some huge risks.” The product was launched through a crowdfunding platform, which has helped the team with feedback and outreach. “Rather than the conventional approach of sales and marketing, crowdfunding provides a direct one to one interaction with potential customers and early adopters,” says Arun. “We have covered 30% of our goal in the first week and the response from around the world on social media has been phenomenal.” Available in four colours, Altifarm is available at an early bird pricing of $199, followed by $219 for a 4-tier model. The unit arrives in a compact box and can be assembled in minutes—customers source their own seeds and soil. The brand is now focused on developing the project with more variants and expansion packs.
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A completely self-funded project till its launch, Altifarms’ initial success has been heartening for Arun. “Looking back I am surprised myself, how we pulled all of this development over the years with the limited resources available at our disposal.” On a personal note, the project has also inclined Arun towards developing a green thumb. “I'm not much of a gardener myself, as I have to wear multiple caps in a day and get to spend very little time at home. During the development of Altifarm, we learned so much about gardening/plant care and trust me, it is a most enjoyable and rewarding pastime.” Visit the Altifarm crowdsourcing campaign on Indiegogo. To contact the team, click here.

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How a School Dropout Built One of India’s Most Trusted IT Security Solutions Firms

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The name Kailash Katkar may not ring a bell. Not unless we tell you about Quick Heal Technologies, reputed to be among the best anti-virus and cyber security solutions in the market. Haven’t you heard your older tech-loving sibling ever tell you that your laptop is doomed unless you have Quick Heal installed?

Kailash is the founder, MD and CEO of this homegrown cyber security company, and an inspiration for having built a business empire from virtually nothing.

Kailash Katkar 3  
Image source: Twitter
Born in 1966 in a village in Maharashtra, Kailash grew up in Pune. He came from humble beginnings — while his father was a machine setter, his mother was a homemaker. Contrary to what may seem, young Kailash wasn’t particularly keen on studies either. The student of Children’s Academy High School lasted in the classroom till only his teens, dropping out soon after class 10. As the family’s resources were limited, Kailash supported his parents and siblings with a job at a local shop for calculator and radio repairs. He took up the job in 1985, barely out of his teens. Displaying a talent for machine repairs, he spent over half a decade honing his skills at the store and also building on other areas like accounting and operations.

Armed with hands-on experience, Kailash took his first entrepreneurial step in 1991 with a calculator repair business.

Kailash Katkar 4Image source: Twitter
With an investment of Rs 15,000, not an entirely paltry sum back in the day, Kailash set up shop in a 100 sq ft worth room. Small as it was, his experience made sure that the business turned out to be profitable. Yet Kailash had bigger plans. This was the early 90s after all, and the world was waking up — quite rapidly — to the possibilities of personal computers and the internet. Kailash enrolled himself in short courses to learn more. Using his early knowledge, the enterprising business-owner found a visible gap in the market. While many companies and people were investing in computers, they were unable to find proper maintenance partners. Kailash expanded in the area, establishing CAT Computer Services in 1993, offering maintenance services to clients. Despite an initial lack of response, the entrepreneur persisted and the first customers came a few months later. In a major coup, Kailash secured the maintenance contract for New India Assurance in the same year, followed by more contracts. As profits increased, Kailash added more staff members to the team and began to plan business expansions.

The company developed its first anti-virus, called Quick Heal, a year later in 1994.

Kailash Katkar 6
Image source: Facebook
With the use of computers increasing, people felt the need for anti-virus software to keep their devices secured. Anti-virus software was an expensive proposition those days, and free programmes rarely did an effective job. It was Kailash’s brother Sanjay who came up with a solution. Then a computer science student at University of Pune, he developed an anti-virus programme for DOS. Kailash sold the first units for Rs 700, priced much lower than standard market prices.
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Quick Heal became an instant hit, thanks to its affordable pricing and remarkably good service. By 1996-97, the company was generating a turnover of over Rs 12 lakh. Sanjay had joined the company and, along with his team, worked to develop superior versions of their bestselling product. Business wasn’t always great — in an article in Economic Times, Kailash mentioned almost shutting down the company in 1999. Nevertheless, by 2002 the company had shifted to a 2,000 sq ft office in Pune and their first branch was founded a year later in Nashik.
“By 2005-6, we had diversified our product portfolio, moving beyond the anti-virus solutions,” said Kailash. “We covered the entire gamut, from security and tuner solutions, which focused on increasing computer speed, to mobile security and gateway level protection.”

The company was renamed Quick Heal Technologies, as we know it today, in 2007.

Kailash Katkar 5Image source: Facebook
An investment by American private equity firm, Sequoia Capital, in 2010 bolstered the company further. By 2013, the company had over 600 employees and 23 offices across India. Kailash also instituted the Rotary Cyber Safety Initiative, which acquaints citizens, especially students, teachers and parents, with cyber-security awareness. He has also won numerous awards, including the SME Channel's Achiever's Award 2011, Maxell Award for Maharashtra Corporate Excellence 2012, Army Institute of Technology's (AIT) 'Young Entrepreneurs' Award and the Quality Brands India Award 2012-14.
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As smartphones and tables gradually eclipse computers, Quick Heal Technologies has ventured into mobile security and new product development in tandem with future technological innovations. The success of Quick Heal Technologies is often attributed to Kailash’s people-oriented approach to the business, and humility. As the business adapts to changing technology, Kailash remains at the forefront of innovation and business expansion. Not much unlike the ambitious boy who started the journey of a lifetime in a repair shop.

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TBI Blogs: From a Village in Kutch, Pabiben Rabari Created a Global Brand to Empower Local Female Artisans

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India’s Kutch region is home to some truly amazing art and craft traditions that have been handed down over generations. One woman from the local Rabari community has been instrumental in taking these traditions to the world. Kutch is celebrated for its art, crafts, music, dance, and people. Smt. Pabiben Rabari, founder of Pabiben.com, one of the first Women Artisan enterprises, and based in Bhadroi Village, Kutch, Gujarat, is a true brand ambassador of the colourful Kutch district. It has not been an easy journey for her. Being the eldest among three daughters, Pabiben helped her widowed mother by filling water at people’s homes for just one Rupee. Unable to go to school, she was drawn to traditional embroidery, which she learned from her mother. It is customary among the Rabaris, also a tribal community from Kutch, to give away embroidered pieces as dowry. This means that girls have to stay back with their parents until they are older, because they have not finished the pieces to take to their husband’s home. To ease the burden on the girls, the village elders banned embroidery for personal use.

But Pabiben realized the decision also meant they would no longer have a place to display their craft.

[caption id="attachment_85117" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Smt. Pabiben Rabari Smt. Pabiben Rabari[/caption] Pabiben joined a Rabari women’s group in 1998, and soon became famous as the master artisan of the group. She found a solution to create decorative embroidery without breaking the community’s rules. She invented a new art form—machine application of ready-made elements, which was named “Hari Jari”. For the first time in the Dhebaria community, Pabiben used the vibrant combination of trims and ribbons, which was famously known as “Pabi Jari”. She mastered this art with enthusiasm, and made a sample shopping bag. It became an instant hit, and was christened the “Pabi Bag”! The Pabi Bag has now been introduced to the contemporary market. Currently her products include different kinds of purses and bags, toilet kits, durries, files, quilts, cushion covers, etc.

Pabiben’s design has been shown in many films, and is popular globally.

[caption id="attachment_85119" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Artisan holding Pabi Bag An artisan holding a Pabi Bag.[/caption] Currently, her eponymous business in her village, Kukadsar, employs over 60 women making more than 25 designs. Her website pabiben.com is popular across the world. A vibrant Rabari lady, Pabiben has become an inspiration and an idol to many in her community. Pabiben.com aspires to help women become independent and empowered to shape their own future, and those of their families and future generations.

It aims to inspire the village women to create their own identity with the help of their artistic talent.

[caption id="attachment_85118" align="aligncenter" width="5472"]Pabiben along with group of Women Artisans Pabiben along with group of women artisans.[/caption] Pabiben’s focal point is to promote the enterprise as a Rural Business Model – a Gandhian approach to rural development. She strongly believes that one has to apply the Gandhian model globally to improve the quality of life in villages, and to contain the massive migration into the slums of megacities. One must strive to preserve and encourage the rich indigenous knowledge, culture, and the traditional arts and crafts, including the practical wisdom, of traditional societies. Pabiben has brought about effective changes in the lives of the Rabari women with her great vision and enterprise.

Her vision to develop entrepreneurship among women artisans has strengthened their social and economic status and provided them a platform to be capable and independent.

[caption id="attachment_85120" align="aligncenter" width="6016"]Smt. Pabiben Rabari receiving 24th IMC- Ladies’ Wing Jankidevi Bajaj Puraskar-2016 from Mr. Aditya Puri – Managing Director, HDFC Bank and Mrs. Tara Sharma Saluja - Actress, Entrepreneur, Creator, Co – Producer and Host of The Tara Sharma Show Smt. Pabiben Rabari receiving the 24th IMC Ladies’ Wing Jankidevi Bajaj Puraskar, 2016 from Mr. Aditya Puri, Managing Director, HDFC Bank, and Mrs. Tara Sharma Saluja, Actress, Entrepreneur, and Creator, Co-Producer, and Host of The Tara Sharma Show.[/caption] For her accomplishments, and undying spirit of strengthening women’s socio-economic conditions, Pabiben is truly worthy of an accolade, and thus, she was felicitated with the coveted IMC Ladies’ Wing 24th Jankidevi Bajaj Puraskar for Rural Entrepreneur for the Year 2016.
Find out more about Pabiben and her work on Facebook and Twitter.

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