With Love For India: Akansha Dixit, Co-Founder Of Craft Maestros
With Love For India
A winemaker who works with kiwi farmers in her region. A communications specialist who is creating empowering, feminist rag dolls. An adventure tour specialist who believes in local experiences. An entrepreneur who envisioned and launched an app to help everyone learn Indian languages. Another who brings traditional Maharashtrian fare to dining tables across the world. Our country is replete with visionaries who are working towards empowering local communities and artisans while educating the world about their skills and crafts. Made in India, for the world. In this special issue, we applaud these women who are putting India on the world map…
“Our products reflect India’s age-old traditions”
Akansha Dixit
Co-Founder of Craft Maestros
Akansha Dixit is a product person and a lover of fine craftsmanship. But every time she visited a haat, handicraft emporium or souvenir shop, several questions would surface – is the handicraft authentic? Am I paying the right price for it? Where are the really exquisite handicrafts that I’ve read about? Why does India’s vast and unique handicraft sector pale in comparison with to the ‘Made in Italy’ or ‘Made in France’ labels? Finally, Akansha decided to do something about those nagging feelings.
Using the skills related to quality and authenticity that she had developed in the apparel industry, she started Craft Maestros with co-founder Ajay Singh to transform the Indian handicraft space for the customer and the artisan.
Excerpts from an interview:
“Craft Maestros was set up to bridge the gap between the struggling artisan and the deprived customer. We curate the finest pieces of Indian handicrafts across a wide range of categories, some that are not easily elsewhere. Our web store allows you access to these crafts anywhere, anytime and we guarantee quality and authenticity at a price point that does not break the bank. We are able to do all this because we have partnerships with India’s greatest artisans – India’s crafts maestros – some of whom are Shilp Gurus and Padma Shris. All of our artisans are directly connected to our order system, and our contractual relationships with them are very transparent. We succeed if our artisans feel that they have been paid fairly, and I believe that our customers appreciate that fact.
“All customers crave variety, and I believe that the product category of Indian handicrafts is distinct in a world of production-line, factory-made items. On top of that, within the sector, you have so much product and craft diversity that customers can have a field day shopping once they enter this world. Whether it is Aksi shawls, inlay furniture, shibori clothing, pattachitra painting or glass art, the choices are endless. Modern customers also want products that are authentic, earthy, rooted in culture and have a great backstory. Indian handicraft has all of those! So, the question really is – can a globalised marketplace compete with a well-organised Indian product line-up?
“‘Make in India’ instils pride in products made in India once again. For us, this pride is reflected not just in the label, but in wanting to deliver high quality, unique products to customers from all over the world. That our products reflect India’s age-old traditions is an added bonus.”
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