(Mohan Bhulani, NTI): Pratibha Krishnaiah’s life seemed perfect. She had a great job, a wonderful boss, and a six-figure salary. But the Bangalore native left city life behind for the hills, fulfilling her dream of living in a village. Fate led her to run a social business that now provides livelihoods for over 200 women. Here’s her inspiring story:
After graduating in software engineering, Pratibha began her career at the renowned media agency Thomson Reuters, earning a seven-figure salary annually. She enjoyed her work and stayed with the company for eight years. Despite her successful career and vibrant social life, Pratibha longed for the tranquility of a village, away from the city’s hustle and bustle.
As the daughter of a farmer, Pratibha cherished her visits to her father’s hometown in Mysore and yearned for more of such experiences. This realization prompted her to change her life. She recalls, “I kept asking myself why I was doing what I was. I had a great job but just wanted to fulfill that childhood fantasy.”
Pratibha made a smart move by applying for and being selected for the State Bank of India’s Youth For India fellowship (SBI-YFI). This fellowship allowed her to pursue her dream while helping others. It offers young people the opportunity to volunteer with various NGOs in remote Indian villages for 13 months. In 2014, Pratibha set off to Khetikhan village in Uttarakhand.
Initially, the geographical change, language barriers, and cultural differences were challenging, but Pratibha quickly fell in love with Khetikhan. She noticed the women in the village were highly skilled in knitting and crochet. To help them monetize these skills, Pratibha established a self-help group. “It was challenging initially as these women didn’t believe they could use their skills to earn a living, demotivated by societal norms and prejudices. But with a little encouragement, they came around.”
By 2015, ten women had joined the group, producing scarves, clips, bags, and baby clothes, which were exhibited in Bangalore. To their surprise, their merchandise sold out completely, revealing a successful brand. Thus, Himalayan Blooms was born. As the initiative succeeded, more women joined. Today, around 200 women artisans from 40 villages work with Himalayan Blooms. In its first year, this not-for-profit social enterprise had a turnover of Rs 4.5 lakh, which grew fourfold by the 2020-21 financial year. Their handcrafted products are sold across India, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and internationally in the USA and Japan.
Despite the increasing turnover, Pratibha takes only Rs.10,000 from the revenue for her expenses. “My purpose of starting the enterprise is not to earn money but to empower the women and give them a sustainable livelihood opportunity,” she says.
Himalayan Blooms has an all-women core team of six. In just five years, these women went from having no faith in their skills to creating new designs, conducting quality checks, handling orders, payments, accounts, and more. They work flexible hours, earning between Rs. 3,000 and Rs. 7,000 a month. Pratibha explains, “It’s very easy to live comfortably with less money in a village compared to the city as everything is much cheaper here. Even Rs.5,000 a month is enough for household expenses.” She adds, “Give them resources, techniques, tools, support, time, and great exposure, and watch them soar! Women in rural areas are a lot smarter than we city folks perceive. Women, in general, can do wonders; it’s all about believing in yourself.”
Initially, Pratibha planned to hand over Himalayan Blooms after her fellowship, but the NGO she worked with refused to take on the responsibility. Thus, she pursued it full-time, registering it as a not-for-profit social enterprise, Himalayan Blooms India. When her family learned of her decision to stay in the village, they were stunned. “My family couldn’t wrap their heads around the fact that I was leaving a perfectly stable life in Bengaluru to continue living in a Himalayan village! But once they realized that my work contributed to the empowerment of rural women, they came around.”
Pratibha now wishes to explore another village, grooming the women to lead the initiative and become entrepreneurs before she leaves. She hopes they will be able to manage Himalayan Blooms as a not-for-profit social enterprise independently in a few years.
When asked if she misses anything about city life, Pratibha admits, “Apart from missing my family and friends, I love the villages more.”
