About Us
We are a like-minded group of friends. Our motivation to start this venture grew after we made a trip to Bhuj in Gujarat. There, we met Ms.Chandha Ben Shroff, who is the founder of "Shrujan" Threads of Life, an NGO which is working to taking the crafts of Gujarat globally.
This trip was an eye-opener about the variety of Indian Crafts. We understood the need to preserve and appreciate our own handicrafts. Being from Madurai we realized that our craft -sungudi- has lost out to poor replicas of it in the market.
Over the years, sungudi like many other crafts, has lost out to cheaper imitations that are easier to make. Block printing on material made on power looms, wax printing instead of the traditional tie and dye, has almost made sungudi and its artisans extinct.
This led to the sungudi revival project, an initiative of World Craft Council in the year 2012 in Madurai. This was a huge project conducted under the leadership of Mrs. Usha Krishna as the Chairperson of WCC. This project required constant monitoring and sustenance.
To support their efforts on this front, a group of young, enterprising women to took up the cause to revive and renew this lovely craft on a long-term sustainable basis. It was only then we met Ms.Sudha Ravi, Mrs.Usha Krishnan and Ms.Uma Kannan. After a couple of meetings, we weighed all odds and possibilities and with their help and guidance,Tharagai was born in 2014 as an organization.
Tharagai aims to revive the craft of sungudi by training artisans in and around Madurai in the traditional tie and dye work by providing a financially viable outlet to market these products while ensuring complete compliance to social and environmental concerns.
Mentors
Mrs.Usha Krishna -Mrs.Usha Krishna graduated in Physics and Mathematics from the Mysore University. She underwent a management programme in 1985-86 at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmadabad. She is a Committee Member of Crafts Council of India for nearly 35 years, and had held the post of Vice President for 15 years. Currently, she is the Honorary Treasurer of the organization. She also played a major role in the revival of the languishing craft of 'Sungudi', by offering technical and marketing inputs to the crafts persons and roping in college students to help organize workshops and exhibitions to promote and position Sungudi as a viable and creative craft product. The two major events, "Abushan - Design Dialogues in Jewellery" and "Kaivalam - The Future is Handmade" organized by WCC during her Presidency won worldwide acclaim for her vision in drawing the world's attention to crafts and crafts persons and providing a platform for all concerned to meet and work towards betterment of crafts and crafts persons.
Mrs.Sudha Ravi - Mrs.Sudha Ravi has a Master's degree in Economics, She has been associated with the crafts council of India for over 10 years, and coordinated the revival of the Madurai Sungudi. She was the membership coordinator for the World Crafts Council and was responsible for inducting over 30 African countries into the Council during her tenure. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Gandhigram Khadi and Village Industries Public Charitable Trust.
Mrs.Uma Kannan - Mrs.Uma Kannan is a Founder Chairperson - Thiagarajar Arts Foundation, Madurai. Chairperson -Women's Studies Centre, Thiagarajar College, Madurai. She supports documentation and revival of local crafts. Involved in projects concerning rural women and children. She is an Executive Committee member of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art, Culture and Heritage). She qualified counselor from Institute of Natural Healing - London. She has come out with a coffee table book "Madurai Malli".
Mrs. Bhavani Vel - Mrs. Bhavani is a English Literature graduate and Director of Indian Foots Private Limited, Actively participates in INTACH Events. To mention a few roads to recycle, was extremely supportive and pioneered to come out with Souvenirs Exclusively for Madurai. A staunch supporter for the revival of sungudi by organizing fashion show with sungudi in different forms.
Designer and Partner:
Mrs.Anuratha Pasupathi - A textile and apparel designer with 14 years of experience. She has worked with the private sector in both domestic and export projects and ventures. She has also headed many cluster development programs for the government of India, Ministry of textiles. She guest lectures at NIFT and Stella Maris College.
Thus was born "Tharagai". An ode to the stars than adorn this beautiful hand crafted textile. Tharagai is a social business venture in pursuit of reviving one of the intangible assets of Madurai - the Madurai sungudi.
Why Tharagai is formed as Limited Liability Partnership?
There are a number of reasons that lead us to forming Tharagai as a Limited Liability Partnership:
Renowned and accepted form of business world wide -While the intent is to promote craft, it requires an organisation to associate with corporate houses. Further, corporates would prefer to associate with a legal entity rather than individuals to support causes.
No restrictions as to maximum number of partners - LLP provides flexibility to include more like minded persons who have interest to promote crafts. As of now, Tharagai has 15 well-wishers who help promotesungudi
Economic sustainability - It is important to form an organisation that can have perpetuity through economic self-sustainability. The profits generated through the sale will be ploughed back into the organisation to promote crafts.
Low cost of formation and compliances -Since we are a non-profit organisation formed by individuals in order to promote a handicraft, it requires a cost effective and hassle free organization. Tharagai meets financial transparency, financial audit and compliance requirements.