At 73, This Mumbai Woman’s Crochet Creations Are Winning Hearts Across 6 Countries

It was 7 pm when I called Chandraprabha for our interview — EOD (end of day in corporate lingo), as most would call it. But she doesn’t follow conventional clocks. For her, time bends around the rhythm of crochet. The day ends only when every stitch sits right, and every pattern passes her own careful scrutiny.

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That evening, she had just finished a crocheted bag — a project that took 10 days. “It was a customer’s order. I customised the bag for them,” she shares.

So, are you finally going to rest for some time now? I ask.

“In a while,” she says. “My mind is already buzzing with new patterns.”

At 73,  Mumbai-based Chandraprabha Parihar is redefining what entrepreneurship looks like in one’s later years. What began as a lockdown hobby has grown into a crochet brand that receives 50 orders a month and ships globally, powered by Instagram and supported by her daughter-in-law. Her journey is a reminder that passion, when paired with persistence, can bloom at any age.

The joy of a challenge

Whether it’s fulfilling an order or experimenting with a fresh design, Chandraprabha’s creativity rarely pauses. Recalling the toughest piece she has worked on, she mentions an Alia Bhatt-inspired jacket requested by a customer. “It was the first time I was making a jacket, and getting it right was difficult, especially the neck patterns. But I think I managed it well,” she smiles.

Her daughter-in-law, Swati Parihar, seconds this. “It was one of our bestsellers,” she says, adding that while the piece was challenging to make, it was also her mother-in-law’s favourite project. You see, the tougher the design, the more Chandraprabha seems to enjoy it. “I’m never scared to try a new design. I am always confident that I can do it,” she shares. 

And the customer, Deepika Sharma, absolutely loved the final outcome. “The jacket was for my birthday. I’d ordered it in March 2024. Not just the jacket, but my experience with Swati and the brand was excellent. They were professional, and at every stage enquired if the product was delivered well, and if I had any thoughts to share.”

The experience, she says, led her to place more orders. “Just to wear something that is made with so much love is amazing. The fabric is great, the quality is great, and to see the effort that has gone into the process is very touching,” she adds. 

Running a business at 73

Chandraprabha’s home is festooned in reds, oranges, blues, purples, and every possible colour. Crochet threads spill across the room — tangled between unfinished designs, half-complete pieces, and neatly packed creations waiting to be shipped.

“It’s been three years since I’ve been crocheting as a business. While I had been stitching and doing embroidery work, I hadn’t done much of crochet, even though I’d learnt it in school. But once I started in 2021, I enjoyed myself, and Swati started posting my videos on Instagram, which got a lot of love.”

Recalling how the digital journey began, Swati says, “I was working in the IT sector, but in 2020, I decided to quit the corporate world and spend time with family. Soon after, the lockdown happened. This was after so long that Aaba (as Swati fondly refers to Chandraprabha) was getting some free time. Previously, she was always busy taking care of my children and the housework. But now that I was home, she found time for her hobby.”

One of Chandraprabha’s earliest designs was inspired by the hat worn by Kajol in the Bollywood blockbuster Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.

Swati recalls, “I would keep clicking pictures of her designs and upload them to an Instagram account that I created for her. Initially, we would get around 50 likes, and it would make us so happy.”

Gradually, the following grew. Orders started to trickle in. In 2023, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo formally launched their brand ‘Nayher’. The name was inspired by the Hindi word ‘nayher’ that translates to a married woman’s maiden home.

Swati explains, “Aaba has so many memories of her nayher where she learnt to stitch. It seemed right for the brand to be named this.”

A dream deferred, now realised

In fact, as Chandraprabha interjects here, the desire to start something of her own was always there. “Three decades ago, I had done a course in stitching. I used to stitch for my children, for myself, and others. Then, as responsibilities set in, I started taking care of the home. Time passed. I never got a chance to start something, but now I do; helped by my children, who handle the technology side of it.”

While age means she works at her own pace, she says she has always led a healthy lifestyle and does not struggle with eye or back issues. “My friends often tell me that I need to sit back and relax. I do that too. But I like to keep working. It keeps my mind busy,” she adds.

A business built together

Swati says she has learnt a lot from her mother-in-law — both in terms of diligence and crochet skills. While she initially managed only customer orders, Chandraprabha nudged her to learn the craft herself. “You can’t be part of a crochet business if you don’t know crochet,” she told her. Soon, Swati began apprenticing under her.

And the orders continue to pour in. On average, the brand sees around 50 orders a month, shipping pan-India and globally — to the UK, Dubai, Canada, Australia, the United States, and Poland. 

While the steady business makes her happy, what really keeps Chandraprabha going is the flood of love from her customers and 1,68,000 followers on Instagram. “People comment such sweet messages on my reels,” she says.

In March 2025, she was honoured with the Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar Award in the ‘Senior Entrepreneur’ category — an award that recognises women who have shown exceptional strength, leadership, and resilience.

In an age of fast fashion, Chandraprabha is building a brand where memory and passion waltz in step.

Every piece by Chandraprabha is handmade with love and care. If you want to wear a story made by hand, order here.

All pictures courtesy Swati Parihar