Kullu woman sews a success story with traditional Pahari-style Kulluvi suits, has clients in several countries, overcame several obstacles
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The Newz Radar
MANDI: Female entrepreneurs consistently demonstrate that women in business too can achieve success as compared to their male counterparts.
Unfortunately, they are still often perceived as emotional, less ambitious and unsuitable for leading initiatives that can transform into profitable ventures.
Pooja Gupta, a resident of Kullu in Himachal Pradesh, has challenged this perception. The ambitious female entrepreneur has crafted her success story by establishing an online ladies’ boutique within her residence. There, she designs and tailors traditionally styled ladies’ woollen suits adorned with “Kulluvi” prints, garnering attention from people, customers, and designers worldwide.
Blending “Pahari texture” into modern styles, her suits have earned her acclaim in India and abroad, attracting regular orders from various parts of the globe. Her vision to fuse traditional Kullu designs with modern prints earned her the first prize in the winter carnival held earlier this year in Manali and also secured her first prize for unique creations in the Bhuntar committee fair.
Her dresses showcased in the “Himachal Divas” event in California, USA, received high praise for their uniqueness. Notably, a customer wearing her designer suit clinched the first prize for the best Indian attire at an international event in Singapore, featuring participants from across India.
Even within India, she has established a clientele in cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, West Bengal, Manipur, Nagaland, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Pooja’s journey as a self-employed women entrepreneur dates back to 1999 when she married at the age of 18 in Sadabai, Kullu district.
Facing setbacks, including the loss of her mother-in-law in 2006, Pooja’s entrepreneurial spirit led her to knit hand-knitted baby sets. She transitioned to using a second-hand machine in 2010, and in 2014, she stitched her first woollen suit, initially facing rejection due to unconventional designs.
Despite numerous challenges, Pooja persevered aiming to change mindsets with her unique designs. Overcoming family resistance and societal biases against women in business, she continued building her venture. After a decade of struggle, her designs gained acceptance, and today she has over 80 sales agents and employs several local women.
In an interview with TNR, Pooja credited her success to her brother Piyush Mahajan and sister-in-law, Neha Sharma, who supported her from day one. Utilizing various social media platforms for marketing, she provides fully stitched suits based on proper measurements or even photographs With an education limited to the 10th standard, Jyoti had few options for securing a respectable job. Her only viable path was to overcome challenges and venture into entrepreneurship.
