Chaani

07/01/2026

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/monsoon-misalignment-why-modern-finance-fracturing-sreenivasan-dgm5e

I’ve spent a lot of time recently thinking about alignment. In my yoga practice, alignment is everything.

30/12/2025

Light-weight, daily-wear, kota cotton sarees. Price: Rs.2625/- (including shipping and GST)

29/12/2025

Daily wear cotton sarees. Price: Rs.2100/- (Including GST and shipping)
The exquisite sarees were woven on power looms in Tamil Nadu and hand block printed by artisans with decades of experience. Contact +91-97899-91486 on WhatsApp for more information

19/12/2025

Thank you (Krithika Anand) for sharing these photos. We are grateful for the support you have given us over many years.

This is a hand woven silk cotton saree from Tamil Nadu. The saree has been hand block printed by Mani who has over five decades of experience in hand block printing. The saree was designed by Chandra who started designing sarees in 1984 and continues her entrepreneurial journey. The blocks were designed by Vidyuth Sreenivasan who enjoys playing with geometric patterns. A saree like this is not the output of one individual. It is the output of a community of practitioners who have dedicated their lives to making unique hand crafted pieces.

12/12/2025

New printed silk cottons!

13/11/2025

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unlocking-value-chain-four-structural-pain-points-vidyuth-sreenivasan-jfyoe

I recently concluded an in-depth fieldwork session in Bagru, Rajasthan, working directly with the dedicated karigars(artisans) in the textile value chain. I am deeply grateful to everyone who generously agreed to be interviewed and share their personal stories with me.

13/11/2025

I met Seduram ji more than a decade ago. I was in the early stages of my entrepreneurial journey. I took my first trip to Rajasthan to find independent artisans who would be willing to work with me. I didn't speak any Hindi and I didn't know anyone. I went to the weaver's service centre in Jaipur and one of the officers took me to his doorstep. I guess we liked each other's vibes. He is fiercely independent and has a healthy disrespect for rules. At 93, he continues to defy norms. It was a pleasure to catch up with him again last month.

10/11/2025

A truly memorable moment: October 28th marked the culmination of my fieldwork in Bagru, Rajasthan.

My deepest gratitude goes out to the Master Karigars of hand block printing. They were incredibly generous with their time and shared their profound stories, challenges, and hopes with me. These conversations are the foundation of all the insights I'll be sharing.

When you see a piece of Bagru fabric, remember the hands and lives invested in it. It's an honor to amplify their voices.

12/09/2025

A Tale of Two women - Why context Is Crucial.

I've been doing some deep research on the lives of artisans in Bagru, and something really struck me. On paper, two of the women I interviewed had almost identical lives—same age, same business model, same education. But their stories couldn't be more different.

This article shares their story and argues why the numbers we rely on often miss the most important part of the picture. It's a powerful reminder that behind every data point is a human story.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

In the world of development, big data is often seen as superior when making decisions. Large datasets provide the numbers we need to measure impact and design scalable interventions.

28/07/2025

When it comes to financial access, are we truly seeing the whole picture for micro-entrepreneurs?

In the vibrant world of micro-entrepreneurship, our financial institutions often apply a single lens. Whether it's a bustling fruit seller or a third-generation craft artisan, they're frequently 'clubbed together' under the same loan criteria. But as my research in Bagru, Rajasthan, is revealing, this oversight creates a critical tension.

Artisans running complex craft businesses – part of multi-generational family units – have entirely different operational realities, cash flow cycles, and capital structures than many other micro-entrepreneurs. Their strengths lie in intergenerational knowledge, pooled household resources, and deep community trust. Yet, these very strengths are often invisible to formal lending models.

Over the next few posts, I'll dive into the fascinating, yet overlooked, distinctions of craft-based entrepreneurs in the textile value chain. Join me as we explore why a 'one-size-fits-all' approach risks leaving vital talent and heritage behind.

What are your initial thoughts on this distinction?

11/07/2025

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/beyond-loans-investing-artisan-success-vidyuth-sreenivasan-w9qxe

Several years ago, during a market research assignment, I interviewed a man in his fifties who owned a fleet of concrete trucks. His vehicles delivered pre-mixed concrete to construction sites, and their purchase was financed by Sundaram Finance .

26/06/2025

This visual offers a fresh look at the intricate layers of the handicraft industry: from the foundational "Informal" sector (think individual artisans and families creating beautiful work), through the "Formal" connections (designers, aggregators, retailers), and into the "Digital" realm.

While digital platforms promise vast opportunities, they often function as "walled gardens," creating limitations on true mobility and equitable reach for many grassroots artisans. This raises a crucial question for all of us: how can we explore alternative digital infrastructures that are genuinely designed to serve these incredible creators, fostering broader connections and ensuring the benefits of digital inclusion are realized by everyone?

I'll be diving deeper into this pressing topic in my upcoming article. Stay tuned!