Priti Sheth established a small scale unit for handicrafts in 1983, after receiving training from Center for Entrepreneurship Development (CED) with four self-employed artisans, exhibiting and selling patchwork and applique products. A decade of working through Central Cottage Industries and Gujarat Hastakala Corporation (Gurjari), saw the unit flourish and became known as ‘Parampara’. It started creating products appreciated by designers from Ahmedabad and Delhi, for the fine quality of hand embroidery and patchwork – applique and sustained high standards. The next decade saw Parampara spread it’s wings to Indian Hand Embroideries like Sadubharat, Dwarka, Mutwa Patchwork-applique of Gujarat, Phulkari (Punjab), Kasuti (Karnataka), and Kantha (Bengal). Reaching them to choice markets in India and abroad through exhibitions and channelising through semi wholesalers. Parampara now witnessed an ever increasing demand. In order to maintain its standard of quality, Parampara established a training centre in early nineties with its own resources. Mahila Arthik Vikas Nigam, Urban Community Development (UCD), Support To Employment Programme (STEP) and charitable trusts of Ahmedabad and Mumbai provided active support in these efforts. For Parampara too it was a great learning curve and this experience helped change it’s trajectory. Building further on this strong foundation, the House of Parampara steadily forged ahead meeting severe competition from machine and computer embroidery head on with the Brahmastra of handicraft with positive social and environmental implications. It started yielding results from 2003. Global brands like Chetna (Mumbai), Kalanjali (Hyderabad), Fabindia (New Delhi) and several semi wholesalers leveraged their faith in the quality of workmanship and commitment of Parampara team. Ever since, there is no looking back, there is a continuous flow of work to the artisans. This made Parampara to envision a larger footprint by opening training centers in other cities and villages of Gujarat. Over one hundred trained women could now concentrate on increasing production, improve quality of handwork and generate more income for themselves. Artisans and Founder’s second generation have also now joined Parampara and are contributing to upholding the well-established traditions. During Parampara’s difficult times, Salonee Hardik managed to steer the ship – while Payal Sheth is now strengthening the leadership team of Parampara. We are delighted that a whole new generation of artisans’ and founders’ are accepted and appreciated by craft lovers’ of the new generation, walking hand in hand with Parampara. It is Parampara’s destiny to move out this artcraft from museum shelves to shop shelves for day to day use. In this endeavour to take Parampara further forward, we are joined by Neepa Parikh, a craft connoisseur herself. We, the community of Parampara (Tradition) dedicate this institution to our ancestors and pledge to devote ourselves to the process of passing on this legacy to GenNext.
