Art, entrepreneurship and empowerment

Two long lost friends start a venture of hand-painted articles that employs makes housemaids who have lost their jobs in the pandemic
House maids on the team of Rang Sang painting the base coat on plates
House maids on the team of Rang Sang painting the base coat on plates

Astha Bhatnagar and Deepti Duggal were just seven when they met for the first time in Class 3 at school in Delhi. But they drifted apart when the former changed her school two years later. However, destiny had other plans. Thirty three years later, they now run a venture together called Rang Sang that sells hand-painted home decor and utility products such as wall plates, trays, coasters, cushion covers, stoles, sling bags, pouches, pen stands, boxes, terracotta jewellery, clay murals, fridge magnets and more.

“Technology came to our rescue. We connected through Facebook and decided to meet for a cup of coffee at Select City Walk, Saket. While talking, we discovered our common love for art and art forms, and it just took us two hours to start Rang Sang – love for colours (Rang) that brought the two of us together (Sang),” shares Bhatnagar, a self-taught painter and an Art Director, who has worked for many ad agencies.

On December 12, they launched Rang Sang. “The first order we did was for an exporter in February 2020. Our home décor wall plates were exported to London, Dubai, and the US,” says Duggal, formerly a merchandiser at a buying house, now an artist and entrepreneur. The quadragenarians are well-versed with the traditional Indian art forms such as Madhubani, Kalamkari, Warli, Phad, Pichwai, Gond, along with diverse modern-day genres such as contemporary, retro, kitsch, pop, abstract, tribal, etc.

Bhatnagar says, “We have a shared admiration for all kinds of art, and hence we continuously try to enhance our skill set to meet our customers’ aesthetic demands.” The duo procures raw material, especially terracotta, from local artisans in Uttar Pradesh; each product is customised keeping in mind the client’s interest in design and colour preferences, informs Bhatnagar, who lives in Gurugram.

As Covid struck soon after the launch, they took the business completely online, which in a way restricted them from networking with existing and potential clients. “It was a challenge to only explore online opportunities and avenues. So, we organised online workshops to educate and engage with both kids and adults from the comfort of their homes. The online route has helped us associate with many like-minded people from the industry,” adds Duggal, a resident of Sheikh Sarai.

In the lockdown, when many house maids lost their jobs, the duo decided to create employment opportunities for them. “Today, we see them happily skilled, earning and growing with us. They help us to prep up the plates by painting the base coat, and are trained to varnish and package the products properly,” adds Duggal. “Now, we are an all-women team of eight – the two of us, five housemaids that we have trained to help us with bulk orders, and a new member who is our social media manager,” she adds.

While Deepti heads communications and marketing for Rang Sang, Astha takes care of financials and logistics. Astha also has an understanding of graphic design which she uses to her best ability for all social media collaterals. But every venture faces its own challenges. Bhatnagar says, “We encounter customers who compare our products to readymade and printed products, but we always emphasise on the charm of handcrafted articles as these are one of a kind. We believe that the output of a machine cannot be matched with that of a skilled hand.”

The subsequent lockdowns have made it difficult to manage bulk orders from clients and supplies from artisans. “But we are staying hopeful to sail through these times and deliver products to the best of our abilities. For now, we are operating from our homes in groups of two to get maximum work done,” adds Duggal. With plans to expand, Rang Sang wants to reach out to skilled women and empower them to become self-reliant.

Upcoming Art workshops
Rang Sang is organising a series of workshops to raise funds for Mask India, an initiative by Nanhe Khwab. Garima Chandel will hold an Art Journaling workshop on May 15, Pari Luthra will take an Acrylic Painting workshop on May 16, Duggal will teach Madhubani on May 22, and Bhatnagar will look at pop art on May 23.

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The New Indian Express
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