Jaipur Rugs, a celebrated international brand with a strong grassroots connection, was started with only nine weavers and two looms. The journey was initiated by the visionary founder Mr. Nand Kishore Chaudhary in 1978 when he began working with untouchables, those sections that were kept out of society and never considered humans. With comes success, but so do the repercussions of society.
The Founder had to face critical treatment from society for working with them. He was even refused to shake hands in public gatherings and was threatened by contractors with guns when his connection with artisans was getting stronger each day.
The Early Days: The Carpet Industry may seem like the most flourishing industry of the times, but it wasn’t like this before. The condition it had and the treatment weavers had to endure from contractors is worse to explain. An incident Mr. Chaudhary recalled is when someone asked her daughter Kavita Chaudhary what her family does, and the students at her Art Institute of Chicago put their heads down with shame when she answered; that was the circumstance when Jaipur Rugs entered the game.
Exploitation was the most common thing in the industry, where every member of the supply chain was exploited. Child labor was the most common practice, and when it came to women harassment, things were terrible. The contractor used to rule the industry and exploit the weavers with unfair wage cuts and harassment, which used to happen more than often.
How did things change then? Change is the pivotal part of the business, and that’s what made Jaipur Rugs what it is today, a successful business. They changed the perception of weavers in the industry by stepping on to provide their dignity and respect in society. The unique craftsmanship of the weavers was deeply appreciated by them, and that’s how they made them the front end of the organization.
The contractor system made them laborers from artisans, and when they entered the industry, they changed their condition and craft from laborers to artisans, and now transforming them into artists.
How did Design Transformation happen in Jaipur Rugs? The transition from traditional design to contemporary, transitional designs was a big leap that focused on introducing abstract or modern design in their business, which was brought by none other than Mr. Chaudhary’s daughter, Kavita Chaudhary.
She studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and one day, when she said the artisans were more creative than her, Mr. Chaudhary was baffled but put a leap of faith in her thinking; little did they know they were going to revolutionalize the industry with the concept.
The Birth of Manchaha: Kavita used the raw material returned or the leftover yarns and gave them to the artisans to create something of their own, something that comes from their heart, which the literal meaning of Manchaha says, ‘What the heart desires.’ The initial nervousness and the dropout rate were higher, but with gradual support, they overcame the situation and now making the most of the opportunity.
One of the weavers shared that she weaved her shopping list daily before going to the market for her daughter’s wedding shopping. Some weave memories and stories in them, while some weave their dreams into the carpets.
How was Freedom Manchaha born? As the name suggests, it gives liberation to all the prisoners. A relief or an opportunity to reinvent their life and overcome their past. The initiative was born out of a speech that Mr. Chaudhary gave to an audience, and a DCP encouraged the same initiative to be covered in prison so that the prisoners could ease their lives a little. Soon, the weaving was started in the prison, and a drastic shift in the behavior of the prisoners was observed. They started getting calmer and composed and weaved their most beautiful dreams, their memories, and the future they aspire to have.
What does the future of the Carpet Industry look like? The carpet industry will mostly revolve around the emotions or blessings as Jaipur Rugs calls it. They claim that every piece they manufacture spends a considerable amount of time with the weaver, making it divine with his or her heart’s emotions. When it passes on to the consumer, he or she buys the same energy, a divine blessing he or she brings to their homes.
The founder specifically emphasized the word ‘Temple’ that whoever enters any of our showrooms should feel the same energy as of temple and get what he or she aspires to. The healing power he emphasized that every rug holds will revolutionize the industry. He also emphasized what a future leader would be like in a business like this.
He said love would be the ruler of the business and the leader; otherwise, the business would not survive. “Having Love in business may seem weird, but without love, no business can survive.” He always mentions that without people, there is no business, and if we need to deal with people, having their values aligned with our core values is integral, like love, compassion, and empathy.
Energy of Future Businesses: Mr. Chaudhary personally believes in the feminine energy to get hold of the economy. He believes that the strength and resilience of a woman would make a business foster with positivity and determination. He said that the majority of the leading positions will be held by women, and their feminine energy will change the business outlook.
He further added that there will soon come a phase where only passion-driven people will enter a particular company or business and make the best use of it. When you connect with your work, you become the work, as the great philosophers say. Mr. Chaudhary said they are already working on this model where each member is searching for their passion and making their work a meditation rather than just a bundle of tasks.
In the span of 46 years, they have expanded to many retail stores in national and international markets, but what kept them aligned was the insurgent mission with which they had started. The founder has close alliances with Bain&Company’s member, James Allen. The insurgent mission with which they have grasped the market has come from their concept of Founder’s Mentality.
Mr. Chaudhary emphasized that with the three elements - the insurgent mission, frontline obsession, and the owner’s mindset, any business can flourish and retain their best talent. The future hiring and retention would be based on the value you and your people believe in and the vision you all are working for; they should be consciously working for the same vision.
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