Interview by Editorial Team
Today, we are in conversation with a young Indian entrepreneur, who wants to change the landscape of Indian art and craft. He has ambitious dreams. He wants to do this not just in India, but also globally. Let’s find out what drives the founder of the awesomely named Curio Cult, in the interview below.
Hi Nitish, thanks for speaking with Indspire Me. Please tell our readers a bit about yourself.
I am Nitish, an engineer by education and founder of one of the most authentic Indian craft e-tail studio, Curio Cult.
I am an avid traveller and an admirer of India’s diverse culture. During most of my travels to the rural areas, I found myself mixing with people and welcomed into their homes and reality. I was genuinely interested in listening to what they had to tell. That’s where the journey of Curio Cult began for me.
Please share Curio Cult’s story with us. Why did you feel the need to start it?
Curio Cult was born from the zeal of bringing art and craft form to the mainstream market and make the unsung heroes practicing these art forms popular among the global audience.
The deteriorating popularity of the heritage, we rather should be taking pride in, made us feel the need to bridge the gap between the artisans and market.
We want to adapt these art-forms into contemporary products and bring them to our audience through a platform which initiates a dialogue and draws attention to the plight of the Indian craft industry, which is facing a tough time.
What have been the significant milestones in Curio Cult’s journey thus far?
It is always a delight to see a craft-form being admired by our audience. With the support of our valuable patrons, we were able to revive one of the oldest Tarkashi workshops at Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh; where the craft form originated and offered them insights on the market.
To see clients such as Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum, Hero Auto Corp. etc. take interest in the Indian crafts is always a pride moment for the team.
Our initiative ‘Gift a Smile’ for Diwali was targeted to bring the accolades to the Indian craft industry, turned out to be a huge success. People understood the value of promoting indigenous goods and actively participated in this drive with Curio Cult and this helped us to brighten up Diwali for the families of many artisans.
How is your work with Curio Cult impacting the artisan community in India?
Besides getting an opportunity to display their art to a much larger and tasteful audience across the country, we offer the artisans insights of the market to help them compete with the manufacturers. We try to educate them to adapt to the contemporary lifestyle products and amalgamate their art with modern products to have an edge in the market. From better raw material to more user-friendly products, Curio Cult is helping artisans evolve to the latest market trends and requirements.
How has it been like for you, working with the artisans?
Personally, I revere Indian art and craft, which was one of the biggest motivation for me to start Curio Cult. I travel to explore art forms that thrive on a local level. I owe it to these art-forms to spread awareness about them among people.
Hence each day I spend with the artisans, be it in the little villages of Rajasthan or freezing valleys of Kashmir, I cherish the hospitality and warmth of the artisans as they take pride in showing us the inherited crafts they practice selflessly each day.
How can people connect with you Nitish, and with Curio Cult?
We love to connect with our audience and learn more about their experience with Curio Cult. You can write to me at nitish@curiocult.com or get in touch with the team at hello@curiocult.com. You can visit our website, www.curiocult.com , to know more about us and check our collection of beautiful art and craft works. Curio Cult is also available on-
Facebook – www.facebook.com/curiocult
Instagram – www.instagram.com/curiocult
LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/curiocult
Please share a message with all those people who want to start an initiative of their own. Do you have any advice for them?
I think you should always stay true to the cause you are working for and never lose sight of the goals you set for yourself, as this will keep you motivated through thick and thin.
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