Richa Dalwani was all set to zero in on a country for her doctoral studies when a survey of the walled city of Ahmedabad in 2017 for her Master’s thesis in Mass Communication and journalism changed her career trajectory.
“I ended up planning a heritage-driven enterprise. The walled city is a fascinating place with quaint living quarters called ‘pols’, havelis and old houses, enchanting step-wells, and majestic mosques and mausoleums. While exploring this living museum, I decided to start an enterprise that develops artistically crafted souvenirs reflecting the history of the city,” says the 31-year-old.
Two years down the line, she registered The Heritage Art (THA), along with artist and photographer Abhishek Pandey, whom she had met while moonlighting as a content writer.
“Together we jump-started the project and launched the products—coasters, tote bags, fridge magnets, postcards, stoles, home décor, bookmarks, stationery, etc—at an exhibition in 2021 called Roobaroo Ahmedabad,” she says.
The USP of their products is that they are designed with motifs drawn from Gujarat’s heritage, like the holy places, World Heritage Sites, architectural wonders, kettles cups used by local chai shops, etc.
The process begins with 31-year-old Pandey photographing the objects. The images are then shared with artisans to create sketches, paintings and embroidered pieces. For instance, sketches of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashram and charkha have been block-printed on khadi for stoles. Stationery with images of Ellisbridge and the Statue of Unity is fast-selling. Pictures of the city’s medieval gates have been printed on canvas tote bags, says Dalwani, who has also created artefacts using the crafts of Gujarat like ikat, Kutchi embroidery, etc.
THA recently won a contract to launch an exclusive souvenir store at the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, Delhi. “For this, made a collection covering heritage motifs and handicrafts from across India. We have coasters with prints of Hampi’s sites, diaries with sketches of the Red Fort, besides a collection themed on the Constitution of India,” says the entrepreneur, crediting building a community of artisans who are passionate about heritage as her biggest achievement. The challenge, she faced, was building a market as most Indians do not have an appreciation for quality souvenirs.
Starting the retail space at the museum came with its learning curve, says Pandey. “I had to understand the needs and preferences of customers along with developing highly researched merchandise. We want to focus on the intriguing personalities of our prime ministers, their lifestyle, landmark projects initiated by them and their famous quotes, through games, books and collectibles. We are also launching a collection covering premium artisanal crafts like textiles, metalwork, wood crafts, etc,” he says. The startup is mulling opening retail points of sale at hotels and starting their flagship store in Ahmedabad. “My motto is simple: Don’t build a brand; be a brand,” says Dalwani.