JOIN USOn trips, we often look for souvenirs for ourselves or our friends as token of memories. And in India, handicrafts have become synonymous with souvenirs “owing to lack of other options”.
Toying with the idea of depicting “Indianness”, that goes beyond handicrafts, to meet the growing souvenir and gifting service industry, Pankaj Acharya, 45, started ‘Mad(e) In India’ in January 2013. A designer lifestyle product service, the brand offers more than 30 product lines, including a wide range of home decor and fashion accessories.
Describing the idea, Acharya says, “We had been running the Mad(e) In India blog on Facebook, which is about India and taking pride in being an Indian. This blog brought forth a deep insight that people across the world have started believing in India.”
It was while working on the blog — which provides a peek into the Indian culture, its religion and people — that Acharya decided to take the next step and celebrate India through products that best capture the diverse essence of the country.
“India is a land of thousand stories. The birthplace of yoga, Kama Sutra, Sanskrit, zero, decimal, pi, Ayurveda and so on. It is a fascinating blend of the ancient and the nouveau, regional insights and historical adventures, diverse cultures and a wide array of lifestyles. So, the sheer potential and the scalability of the proposition inspired us to jump into this sector,” he says.
From cutting chai printed serving trays and shot glasses inspired by Bihar’s Madhubani art, to wall clocks in the shape of charkha and cushion covers depicting the Garba dance, the products not only display quirky contemporary themes but also region-specific stories.
The company’s in-house team comes up with concepts and designs and the items are then manufactured by contractors. Besides operating three flagship stores in Delhi and Mumbai, the company sells products in the price range of Rs 400 to Rs 3500 through its website, multi-brand outlets, and on all major online marketplaces.
On his competitors, the founder says, “It’s a competitive market with brands like ‘Chumbak’ and ‘Happily Unmarried’ to name a few, but what sets us apart is our
hundred per cent India-inspired stories.”