Page 43 - Volume5, Issue 3, May-August 2024

IIMV FIELD

Product (ODOP) for promoting Etikoppaka toys, Mentorship and guidance from experienced faculty,
adding another feather to its cap. entrepreneurs and industry experts helped a lot in
Gulab Tribe’s journey is just beginning as Shilpa shaping the business too.”
prepares her business for export. Teaming up with

the National Institute of Design (NID), she’s crafting
toys in line with the National Educational Policy for
Anganwadi children between 3 to 5 years. Her vision
extends to incorporating technology into toy designs.
But that’s not all. Shilpa aims to expand Gulab
Tribe’s offerings to include gifting, baby apparel,

and fabric dolls, empowering more underprivileged
women. While there’s been significant progress,
she’s excited about what lies ahead.
“The SIP Program gave me an organised approach
to develop an understanding of social impact
and how to integrate it into the business model.

Startup Stories

Story 1: Gulab Tribe

Founder Name: Shilpa Dantu

Program: Social Impactpreneurs Program

Making toys is no child’s play, shares Shilpa Dantu,

Founder of Gulab Tribe.

The brand was established in September 2020 with The range includes home décor, cookware,
the goal of introducing Indigenous pottery crafts into serveware, and lifestyle accessories.
the mainstream, promoting healthy, sustainable, Each state or region of Bharat has its own unique
and environmentally friendly lifestyles for customers style of indigenous clay craft or pottery, which has
through the use of natural and earthy terracotta been handed down for generations but is slowly

ware. Additionally, the brand aims to sustain the losing out to industrial products.
artisans who create these age-old crafts, thereby At Terracotta by Sachii, we utilize the power of
contributing to the preservation of an integral part e-commerce to connect traditional pottery clusters
of India’s cultural heritage.
in our culturally rich motherland. These clusters
We combine our design skills with the artisans’ create beautiful indigenous pottery that they
handcrafting skills to co-create contemporary, are unable to sell to far-away buyers, leaving
functional products that are also high on aesthetics discerning craft lovers without direct access to
and relevance. these beautiful products.

40 VOL.5/ ISSUE 3, MAY-AUGUST 2024