rural artisans

Sushmita Kaneri, a software engineer-turned-social entrepreneur, launched Gullakaari to revive India’s endangered crafts and empower 1,000+ artisans with sustainable livelihoods. She is training them to make functional products through traditional art.

Abhinav Agarwal and Megha Joshi launched their startup Mittihub last year to connect artisans from Rajasthan, Delhi, Agra and Haryana to sell their handmade terracotta ware without the burden of middlemen, helping them increase their income by 40%.

Meera Ramakrishnan, Archish Mathe Madhavan and Varishta Sampath from Bengaluru launched Zishta in 2016 to procure and sell traditional kitchenware and cutlery made from natural elements such as stone, iron, clay, neemwood, and more.

Each organisation is focused on making 10,000 rakhis or more, using traditional art forms native to that region.

Madhya Pradesh-based KhaDigi also experiments with other natural fibres like organic cotton, and waste from bamboo and soybean.

As a consumer, you have nearly unlimited choices - but how many unique ones? Thanks to trusts like these, India's wonderful traditions can now adorn our homes!

Unique products handmade to perfection rich with culture and tradition. Why choose anything else?

We are all guilty of buying a pair of earrings for a few hundred rupees. I mean, who can resist the price and the pretty looks, right? But did you know that 27 kids were rescued from an artificial jewellery factory in Gujarat last year? #ShopResponsibly

Designing and building the temporary pavilions that house the deity during West Bengal’s biggest annual festival remains the preserve of rural artisans — chiefly farmers and folk artists — despite an increasing presence of professionals. Rajeshwari Sharma takes a closer look.

As more and more Indian corporations and businesses grow and expand, the culture of corporate gifting is also seeing increased adoption. Through a simple decision to buy handcrafted products, corporate houses can turn this gifting culture into income and employment opportunities for rural Indian artisans.