Ask any tourist in India their reasons for visiting the land and more often than not you’ll hear from them about the opportunity to explore the rich culture and heritage of the country. From spices to the Vedas, from finding harmony in chaos, you need to be in India to experience it.

The aesthetics of the art are enhanced by the influences it draws from the pre-independence era, be it the Moguls, the British or the Persians. One such craft that symbolises the affluence of the cultural legacy is 'Chikankari' or 'the creation of chikan work'. The name chikan has been derived from the Persian word meaning a cloth wrought with needlework. Chikankari is a delicate and artfully done hand embroidery on a variety of textile fabric and is identified with Lucknow, the capital of the largest Indian state, Uttar Pradesh.

About 250,000 artisans, mostly women, are engaged in the elegant art of Chikankari. While Chikankari gains popularity in urban dressing and showrooms mushrooming in many Indian cities, a majority of the profits are being absorbed by traders and middlemen, leaving very little for the hands that create the masterpieces. An average artisan manages a paltry Rs. 700-800 every month. Therefore sustaining the livelihood of the artisans remains a key challenge.

In the words of Sabiya, a chikankari artisan, "It is a challenge to make ends meet and anything that enables us to pocket a little more, always helps." To ensure that the artisans get the due credit for their work Mohit Verma, a DBS–TISS alumnus along with Zareena Khatoun, an experienced embroiderer and middle woman, founded Threadcraft India. The venture works toward the emancipation of the chikankari artisans and preserving the age old art through designing, product diversification, revival of near extinct stitch types, and market expansion.

At Threadcraft India, a DBS-TISS venture, artisans have the option of coming to the centre for work or opting to work from home. Since all the embroiderers are women, it helps balance their domestic life with a means of livelihood. Threadcraft forms a link between buyers and the artisans. It procures and dyes the fabric according to the orders, gets design imprints and then hands it over to the artisans who do the delicate job of embroidery. Once the fabric is washed and finishing touches are added, the product is packed and is ready for sale. A full length salwar kameez with an intricate design might take 3-4 days of work.

In just 5 months since inception, the company has engaged 25 artisans and doubled their income to Rs. 1,500 per month. It also takes its social responsibility seriously, conducting free eye checkups and distributing glasses to the artisans. DBS Bank India has been a constant support to the venture, providing valuable advice along its growth journey.

Mohit now plans to make it a self sustainable organisation within a year of operations. His zeal for bringing about a positive change in the social and economic life of the artisans along with his passion to build a viable social enterprise will surely help him scale new heights. Through Portraits of Purpose we bring to you Threadcraft India’s journey so far.

To be a part of our initiative you could write to us at PoP@dbs.com