Leaders

While India’s handicrafts industry is a mosa­ic of diversity, reflecting the nation's rich history, culture, and heritage, it is high­ly fragmented and unorganized. In fact, many handicraft traditions are fading away with time, a lot of them are gone already. In this intricate space, the sister duo, Aditi Amit and Atisi Rana, embarked on a dream—to promote traditional crafts, delight the con­noisseurs of art, and create employment opportunities for countless artisans.

Aditi, after graduating in Psychology & Economics from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, embarked on a journey that defied convention. She pursued a master's degree in Craft Design at the Indian Institute of Craft and Design in the culturally vibrant city of Jaipur. Here, she immersed herself in the world of Indian crafts, honing her talents. A turning point arrived when she delved into Creative Entrepreneurship through a specially designed course at IIM, Ahmedabad. These diverse experienc­es wove together to shape the remarkable journey that brought her to where she stands today, leading Fitoori Banjaaran. Her background in psychology equipped her with a unique skill – understanding people deeply, a skill that would prove invaluable in her entrepreneurial voyage.

Another pillar of this journey is Atisi, her beloved sister and supportive business partner. Armed with an academic background in English Literature from Lady Shri Ram College, she also took a distinguished path and pursued Interior Designing. After gaining experi­ence working for an architectural firm, she joined her husband Satish Rana, a skilled Lighting Designer, on his entrepreneurial venture – Light Vision India.

Somewhere along their journey, the sisters decided to co-found Fitoori Banjaaran. Their handcrafted prod­ucts draw inspiration from travel, fusing elements from diverse cultures worldwide with the expert craft skills of Indian artisans.

“Success is about continuous growth; it is about taking one step forward from yesterday”

What role has your Alma Mater played in shaping you as an individual?

Aditi: I always remember the debate of ‘College vs Course’ that comes up every year around the time when board results are declared and students are looking to choose their path ahead. From personal experience, I would always choose college over course because LSR taught me how being at the right college can open up the world to you and broaden your perspective. I have friends who chose course over college and while they still are excelling in their careers now, I wonder if they would have chosen their current career at all if they were at a different college.

LSR made me believe that the ‘world is my oyster’, as our inspiring principal Dr. Gopinath, always used to put it. LSR made everything seemed possible to me, exposed me to so many different facets of life and al­lowed me the space to be myself, in the most authentic way. That, to me changed my entire life’s trajectory.

What are some key challenges business lessons in your journey?

Aditi & Atisi: This industry, despite its significant contribution to our nation's economy, remains high­ly fragmented and disorganized, bringing forth many challenges. One major challenge we've confronted is the unfortunate scenario where artisans, after receiving advance payments for their work, abscond without fulfilling their commitments. This experience pushed us to become more diligent with our back­ground checks and accountability measures when engaging with craft clusters. Our aim isn't just to pro­duce exceptional products but also to provide artisans with consistent work, ultimately reducing the likeli­hood of such incidents.

With little credibility or accountability among artisans, we sometimes face problems in meeting deadlines and fulfilling our commitments to our cli­ents. Amid these challenges, we've also encountered instances where our designs were copied. Neverthe­less, we choose to view imitation as a form of flattery, a reassuring sign that our creative vision is resonating and making an impact. These lessons, though hard-earned, have added depth to our entrepreneurial jour­ney.

Tell us about some milestones you have achieved over the years?

Aditi & Atisi: Having the courage to start an entrepre­neurial venture even though we come from a family of teachers, doctors, engineers and chartered accoun­tants was a big achievement in itself. This marked a departure from generational norms, harking back to our Baniya roots, where trade and business are the legacy.

We could support multiple families during Covid when we did not even know when the sales of non-es­sential products might restart. Being able to support these families during those tough times helped us cre­ate a sense of community and family bonding with our karigars.

We have been blessed with so much love and rec­ognition from our community in Goa, where Aditi lives, that we could not have asked for anything more. Collective growth is always more sustainable and powerful and we have already reached a stage where we are now invited to international events and art ex­hibitions. In fact, we did our first international event in Bangkok this year.

Any advice to aspiring women leaders?

Atisi: We often doubt our abilities and often don’t show ourselves and our talents and skills to the fullest. I’d say that if you have entrepreneurial dreams, just go all in, that’s when the magic happens. ‘Side hustles’ in my opinion is not a great strategy as when we have a cushion, we don’t push ourselves enough. Save up, quit all other hustles and focus on the one thing that you truly desire to do.

Aditi Amit, Partner, Fitoori Banjaaran

Aditi creates beautiful products leveraging her knowledge in crafts and leads the business through critical aspects like strategy, negotiation, and more.

Atisi Rana, Partner, Fitoori Banjaaran

Atisi lends her creativity, knowledge and understanding of design, and artistic skills to lead the vibrant product portfolio at Fitoori Banjaaran.