Enduring Handcrafts
(A Private Limited Company)
Founded in 2015
2015: Sangraha conceptualised and artisans trained
2016: Sangraha Karigar Atelier trademark registered
2017: Enduring Hand Crafts created as a proprietorship
2018: Enduring Handcrafts converted to Company (Pvt Ltd)
2019: Studio created in Lucknow and started exports
2020: E-commerce launched
2021: New brands created & artisan ateliers initiated
Enduring Handcrafts Craft Organisation
Our Mission
Inspiration and Excellence with Innovation, and Reliability as an Experience of Luxury for Global Communities through Values Manifested in every Product and Service at Sustainable Prices. Creating Responsible Values steeped in Tradition, Ethics, Connectedness, and Expertise for all the Stakeholders.
Dr. Jaspal Kalra
Director specialised in Research and Design
Design Academician and Social Entrepreneur, with practice based PhD degree from NIFT titled ‘Design Education of Chikankari Artisans: A Tool for Social Innovation'. Jaspal Kalra graduated in Fashion Design from NIIFT, Mohali followed by PGCHE and Masters of Design (Fashion) from Nottingham Trent University. Alongside he has worked on project brief development and curriculum for Design and Craft based Institutes, developing new forms through zero waste cutting technique. He has a total work experience of 19 years, working in professional design spaces of self-run brand, ace designers, retail brands, international buyers and knowledge sharing at various design Institutes.
He has provided services as a consultant for staff development & course delivery, conducted seminars and workshops on craft appreciation. His professional engagements range from workshops at Ashoka University, Somaiya Kala Vidya, expert panelist for ‘National Entrepreneurship Awards Scheme’, Member of Board of Study of Fashion department of Universities and design consultant for projects like Usttad (by NIFT supported by Ministry of Minority Affairs). He has presented in various international and national conferences. He works closely with craft clusters and promotes co-design and design practice sharing with artisans through his brand Sangraha Karigar Atelier.
He had served as consultant founding Director of Kalhath Institute, Lucknow.
Our Directors
Everything that is made Beautiful and Fair and lovely is made for the eye of one who sees.
Rumi
OUR STORY
Sangraha is a brainchild of Dr Jaspal Kalra, that started as a project during his doctoral research. ‘Sangraha’ in hindi means for group of people and also commitment to sustaining heritage (Sangrahalya or museum) The word in itself expresses the vision behind it which was co-working with artisans in collaboration and reviving heritage.
About the historicity of the brand and organisation: born in Lucknow, a city of craft, culture and history, Dr Kalra started appreciating the nuances of cultural narratives wrapped in crafts. The subtleness of etiquettes is expressed in the whitework of Chikankari drew him close to embroidery. Chikankari, an age-old embroidery done in Lucknow city of northern India. It has been known since long for its intricacy, transparency and variety of stitches which also includes jail (network). It’s the sheer finesse of stitches and transparency they create that makes it exclusive that lack of color becomes its identity and essence. The association that started more than two decades ago was to become a companion for life.
His design language became synonymous with handcrafted techniques and stories associated with it. Chikankari stayed with him even in my professional qualifications of Masters and Doctorate. Doctoral research established close connection with the social aspects of Chikankari. Lucknow presently has more than 0.2 million artisans associated with this craft. The women artisans involved in Chikankari work from home and live a financially marginalised, socially excluded life in deprived conditions. They have inadequate access to health and other services, are isolated in value chain, face destruction of social capital, alienation and powerlessness. The high skilled artisans fail to get dignified earning through their skill and become middlemen for better earning.
OUR JOURNEY
During the doctoral research between 2014 to 2017 worked towards developing a service prototype (design education programme) and tested it in two trials. The insights in the design empowerment of artisans was that role of the designer should not be as a leader, but as a provocator, facilitator and leveller in craft projects. The true empowerment of artisan is about regaining confidence in their effectiveness, creativity and outstanding skills by getting a chance to receive appreciation from buyers and designers. The future of craft is innovating while valuing its traditional techniques and subjective aspects of composition not just at product level but at the level of artisans.
It was with this group of women that Sangraha started and trademark was registered as Sangraha Karigar Atelier under Enduring Handcrafts Private Limited. Enduring to value the endurance in embroidery created by human hands. Its an association of mind body and soul. The organisation is for profit legally but since inception has been trying to establish norm for responsible entrepreneurship. Sangraha doesn’t call itself fair trade rather responsible and honest towards artisans, at it goes beyond the fair trade to build relations. Relations to share experiences and grounded in empathy.
Our co-working artisans are our core team and strength that is committed to excellence, innovation and responsibility through ethical trade. The share of wages surpasses the ones existing in market and each team member has health protection cover, can afford education of wards to name a few benefits.
All this has been possible through the patrons who have appreciated the craft since our first exhibition in Pune in 2014, to frequent ones at Dastkar or buyers at stores: Jaipur Modern, Collage, Artisans and more. With new paths to tread team has expanded and also experts have joined as advisors in mission.
Founded by craft designer Dr. Kalra, the efforts are now mentored by social-cohesion trainer Susan Kolady and Samir Kher. The organisation has Dr Kalra, Susan Kolady, Rajni Kalra and Danish Siddiqui as Board of Directors.
The meaning of responsibility was discovered in year 2020, when Chikankari and Ari artisans barely earn less than a dollar in a day were out of work and earning. The power of team was seen in such tough times. Some artisans from our team, gave up their resources to support others. Embroidered masks were created to give means to those who were out of resources.
It later evolved into permanent social initiative with a range of products under Sangraha: Sab Tera. It is based on Sab Tera principle of Sikh preacher Guru Nanak Dev, whereby everything belongs to others or the Divine. One should look at self as part of others.
VISION
To be Recognised Globally as being Committed to and making Significant Contributions towards supporting Communities to Discover Value in Hand Crafted Products. As a result, having Market Capitalisation Comparable to Admiration of its Values.
MISSION
Inspiration and Excellence with Innovation, and Reliability as an Experience of Luxury for Global Communities through Values Manifested in every Product and Service at Sustainable Prices. Creating Responsible Values steeped in Tradition, Ethics, Connectedness, and Expertise for all the Stakeholders.