About Me

I, Nikita Navlekar, am a daughter, a loving wife, and a mother. Above all, I am proud of being a woman. My journey to where I am today began 15 years ago when I ventured out to fulfill my childhood dream of creating an identity of my own.

I still recollect the days when my elders questioned my decision to get into a business that required extensive work experience and market knowledge. Their doubts were justified from their perspective, as I hadn’t completed my graduation nor had any experience. In those days, women weren’t encouraged to work or set up businesses, especially in the field I chose - Kutchi handwork. This field was already dominated by many big names with well-established reputations.

What a huge task it was to carve a niche of my own! Although my elders were skeptical, it was my husband who stood by me. With his support and encouragement, I set up a small boutique. Despite coming from a well-to-do family, I didn't want any financial support. I applied for loans from banks and co-operative societies, which was quite an ordeal as the banks questioned why I needed a loan given my family’s background. After tedious explanations of my wishes and intentions, I finally secured a loan to take my initiative’s first baby step. Oh, it felt and still feels wonderful today.

The early years were spent gaining enriching experiences rather than earning money. Oh, how hard that was back then! The boutique I started depended solely on trading and outsourcing a few select pieces available from the market. The lack of variety and sizes motivated me to market unstitched material. Upon customer insistence, I ventured into made-to-order designer dresses, for which I needed my own machine and tailor.

The work was good during the season, but when the season ended, the machine was idle. This motivated me to use my keen designer skills, making a big difference. To my delight, my designs started moving beyond my expectations. Even though it wasn’t my aim to stay long in the market, where I had to fight every inch of the way to make my presence felt, I discovered that people wanted unique and ethnic wear. That’s where I made my mark. Clients tired of repetitive designs appreciated my unique offerings, allowing me to take a giant leap.

Thanks to the patronage of good clients, I am not only surviving but thriving. Overjoyed to be in an enterprise that is struggling to maintain its existence, I transitioned from infancy when wholesale enquiries turned into supplying designer ethnic wear. This indicated it was time to set up my own unit and procure fabric from all corners of the country, and handwork from remote villages of Kutch. It was an opportunity to finally operate the way I wanted and feel blessed to provide a source of income to women with dignity and self-respect in their own homes.

By God’s grace, Aangan of Kutch has been successful in contributing to the field of arts and crafts, which has faced setbacks due to mass machine-made computer embroidery. This almost kills the intricate and artistic handwork industry. Many experts believe real handwork will one day be seen only in museums due to tough competition and changing lifestyles. However, I remain hopeful and positive. The utmost passion involved in creating handwork with a designer’s touch will always attract true connoisseurs of art who won’t settle for imitations.

I am lucky to have a dedicated team that takes care of every aspect from beginning to end. Aangan of Kutch sustains and supports more than 200 women artisans in villages, along with 40 full-time workers.