About Chitrika

We aim to build an enabling ecosystem for the collective gain of 10,000 artisan households by 2030.

At the core of each craft is the artisan. A craft survives and gets passed on to future generations only if the artisan thrives, not just survives. Our journey started with the idea of “working with the artisan”, with a firm belief that 'I am because you are'.

Today, we have transformed into an institution that has demonstrated the inherent capacity of the artisans to become a key player in the craft economy when they are supported with the right skills and access to resources. Since 2005, we have been transforming craftspeople into community-builders and collective-entrepreneurs who can understand and interact with the market.

We started our work with 10 weavers in the Khadi cluster villages near Ponduru, Andhra Pradesh in early 2006. Since then, with a small team of rural professionals mostly from weaver backgrounds, we have worked to train weavers in all aspects of running a successful business enterprise – from production, technology, finance management and marketing to institution building.

In 2006, we also established four mutually aided cooperative societies in Srikakulam, which were merged into a single Producer Company in 2014 - the 50-member strong Vamshadhara Weavers’ Producer Company. 2013 brought us a new milestone - we worked to promote the first women weavers’ producer company in India in collaboration with ALC-India, the Godavari Women Weavers’ Services Producer Company. Established in the East Godavari District of AP, it currently has 300 women-members.

Being a strong believer in developing human resources from artisan families themselves, we have often kept our own team lean, while working to develop the capacities of the Producer Company staff. Today, Chitrika Foundations’ team consists of 13 members working in Production, Design, Marketing and Institution Building for both Producer Companies.

A large number of artisans in any craft community make ‘regular or typical’ varieties and are often classified as ‘medium-skilled’. The few highly skilled artisans are often well connected and are within the ‘designer circuits’ leaving a large number of artisans ‘off the grid’. A design approach that is inclusive – which a large number of artisans can adapt to with existing skills or with minimal training while gradually increasing their earnings – has been at the core of our design philosophy. While gently pushing the ‘skill boundaries’ of the artisans, we work on ‘Re-Presenting’ their traditional techniques and design repertoires through fresh interpretations and product lines that are representative of market aspirations.

Our Objectives:

• Improving the financial returns, economic benefits and contributing towards social well being of artisans through developing a fair value-chain
• Developing and resurrecting self sustaining institutions of artisans
• Providing artisans access to technology, finance, design and market inputs
• Developing human resources for enhancing artisan livelihoods – service providers, professionals and volunteers
• Extending support services to other organizations and institutions working with artisans across the country
• Creating and developing common platforms to bring together artisans, their organizations, professionals, service providers and other institutions
• Advocating better legal and policy environment to support the livelihoods of artisans

Model of work

Our Key Milestones:

• A 100% increase in the weavers’ income, for members of the Vamshadhara Weavers’ Producer Company
• 100% change in the product portfolio of the weavers in the last five years
• Efficiency upgrades in the production process through centralized pre-loom facilities
• USPs of unconventional colors and contemporary Dyeing Technology to build a handloom artisan brand that is ‘zero-bleed’
• A cumulative sales turnover of over INR 8 crores, since 2007

Our Future Goals:

• Create a talent pool of professionals across the crafts value-chain from among the artisans themselves, through “Craft-Management Learning Centers” that would impart techno-managerial skills
• Create an ‘artisan owned and managed brand’
• Create “Production Centers” at the collectives that will house pre-loom and post-loom activities including an automated dyeing unit
• Research traditional spinning ‘desi cotton’ technology and set up a ‘Spinning Unit’
• Develop a body that will work on creating better business eco-system for crafts sector
• Developing “Artisan Banks”
• Create a low-cost retail chain for marketing crafts

Meet Our Team

vijaya switha

PG Diploma in Rural Management from IRMA

She founded Chitrika in 2005 to pursue her interest in the craft sector. As the CEO of Chitrika for the past 13 years, she has been involved in promoting artisan collectives. Her primary focus is on creating new economic opportunities for artisans by ramping up their business, administration and technology skills in managing producer enterprises. She leads the Chitrika team in honing their capacities to provide impactful service to craft communities.

CEO

Samyuktha

PG Diploma in Textile Design from NIFT

Her career spans more than 11 years in design development and she has extensive experience working with craft collectives. In the past 7 years at Chitrika, she has taken on the role of spearheading design strategy and continues to be engaged in varying capacities in production.

Head Designer

krishna Gopal

PG Diploma in Rural Management from IRMA

His experience in the development sector extends to over 15 years, with a specialized focus on producer-owned organisations. He has been instrumental in developing the strategic focus of Chitrika. He gives key inputs relating to strategic management, business plan development and, through ALC India, aids us in mobilizing working capital for producer companies.

Advisor to Chitrika and CEO of ALC India Limited

sonika

Bachelor in Fashion Design from Hamstech Institute of Fashion & Interior Design

Her interests lie in handlooms, product development and visual merchandising. She started her career with Chitrika and has dreams to start her own enterprise.

Executive Designer

navya

MBA in Finance from JNTU

She is from the weaving community and has been associated with Chitrika for the last 5 years in varying capacities from finance, audits, governance and legal compliances. She is also the board representative from Chitrika in both the producer companies we work with.

Project Manager,  Finance and Administration

pavani

BA from Osmania University

She handles administration, logistics and audits for Chitrika as well as the producer companies.

Project Executive, Finance and Administration

bhaskara rao

BA from Andhra University

He is from the weaving community and has been instrumental in developing and implementing production systems in producer companies. He has 11 years of experience in varying capacities in Chitrika and has made the cause his career.

Project Manager, Production

chand pasha

MBA in Finance from Kakatiya University

For the past 4 years, he has been managing exhibitions and ready-stock marketing channels in the Marketing department. His passion for achieving targets and his vision to see Chitrika playing a key role in the crafts sector motivates many of us at Chitrika.

Project Manager, Marketing

ramesh

Intermediate

He is from the Banjara community and has a keen interest in design. He manages inventory in Chitrika and Quality Control at producer companies.

Executive, Production

lalitha

B. Tech Mechanical from JNTU

She handles the ERP systems for Chitrika and the producer companies.

Project Executive, Finance and Administration

Harsha

B.Tech Mechatronics from Shastra University

He heads our new initiative to build an enterprise of production and marketing entrepreneurs in the Telangana region.

Project Manager, New Initiatives

Aishwarya

B.B.A in Human Resource Management from University of Pune

She started her career with Chitrika and currently manages its internal and external communications.

Senior Executive, Communication