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Shrujan - Threads of Life

Ms. Chanda Shroff is a 2006 Rolex Awardee and the first Indian laureate of the Rolex Awards. She was chosen as a laureate for her efforts in ensuring the preservation of an exquisite art form, while at the same time creating a sustainable source of income for the women of Kutch, in Gujarat. "My name is Chanda Shroff and I am 73 years old. I have dedicated half of my lifetime to this magical world of Indian embroideries, and when I look back, I can only reminisce with a great sense of satisfaction. My romance with the exquisite crafts of Kutch dates way back, in the late 60ties. In year of 1969, Kutch was hit by a major drought. I went to there to assist with a famine relief project. During this trip, I came across talented women who made great hand-embroidered works of art. I was amazed and instantly fell in love with the work. I already knew of this art since my mother had taught me, but the passion I saw in the women artisans here inspired me to find a way to help them.

"They were excellent in their work, but to them it was basically a craft handed down from mothers to their daughters, with little or no sense of design and without any knowledge on how to showcase or promote their creations. Their main idea was to carry forward the tradition of embroidery they have inherited from generation to generation. Each tribal group and community in the area has its own particular style of embroidery, a lexicon of stitches and motifs.

"I studied and realized that the best way I could exhibit their talents was to incorporate their exceptionally talented craft to more utility and marketable products like saris and scarves. The first sari exhibition was held in October 1969 in Mumba,i with considerable success. The profits were re-invested into building the organization. Currently Shrujan works with 16 different styles of embroidery, done by 3,500 women across 114 villages.

"We have developed an organizational structure that provides personal and economic support to the artists. All materials for the embroidery are provided by Shrujan at no cost to these artisans, who are paid directly immediately after the work has been completed.

"Shrujan is fully dedicated to women artisans and women's empowerment. We have a team of dedicated designers and trainers. Shrujan has set up many training centers across the region and women artisans are selected from each village and given 3-6 months training, depending on their capability. Once the training is complete and they have gained enough knowledge, they are given the option either to continue working with us or they are given the liberty to start on their own. Shrujan also offers training courses on how to market their own products. The women artisans associated with Shrujan work at their own convenience from their home.

"The Shrujan team visits the artisans in the villages every fortnight. We have developed a system of delegating responsibility for production to some of these village artisans. Women with leadership skills are trained in organizational and business skills. These women are called Entrepreneurs. An Entrepreneur may delegate work to a sub-entrepreneur, as and when required. This structure ensures that management is always evolving at the ground level, with training and responsibility being passed on to younger women.

"Other than saris, stoles and handbags, we have an excellent range of home furnishings such as cushion covers and wall hangings. We have presented our exquisite collections in different exhibitions in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Bhopal as well as abroad, in Africa, England and America."