An accidental entrepreneur, Anjali Singh's decision to undertake women’s empowerment via the production of jute bags and accessories in and around Lucknow has had a profound impact on the local community. Her transition was not just a career change, but a heartfelt response to her father’s legacy in social work and a deep-seated desire to make a real difference. By embracing e-commerce via Flipkart Samarth, she now reaches a broader audience. Her enterprise gives women artisans a way to showcase their skills far beyond local markets and earn dignified livelihoods.
Anjali Singh’s commitment to women’s empowerment is the cornerstone of her remarkable transition from a corporate job to running the Jute Artisans Guild Association. Brought up in Lucknow, the city known for its Chikankari weavers, she stumbled upon a golden opportunity to weave a future of economic independence for women in Lucknow and Barabanki.
Inspired by her father’s legacy in social work and driven by a desire to make a tangible impact, she transformed a small initiative into a significant enterprise that provides sustainable employment to hundreds of women. “I always had a social inclination, and I wanted to do something for the society and for myself,” she shares.
Her work has received innumerable accolades, including the Vijaya Laxmi Das Award for Best Entrepreneur, and the Anarkali Devi Rangbharti Sammaan by the Governor of Uttar Pradesh.
Accidental Entrepreneurship: Doing Business for Good
Singh’s journey into the world of jute was a serendipitous one. “I am an accidental entrepreneur. Coming from a family where everyone had worked in the government services, I was not predisposed to a business career. After completing my MBA from Lucknow University, I joined a private company,” she says.
Her journey began when she impulsively decided to quit her corporate job in 2009. Her father, a retired banker, had been involved with the National Jute Board after his retirement to train women in jute bag-making in and around Lucknow. After their training, these women came to her father to ask for work, which he could not provide due to a lack of resources. “So, one day, I thought, ‘Chalo karte hain!’ – let’s do it! There was already a push to replace plastic, and I saw an opportunity for women’s empowerment here,” she explains.
Exploring Jute Through the Lens of Women’s Empowerment
Singh understood that providing women from rural and underserved communities with skills and opportunities, would create a ripple effect of positive change. She tapped into a vast pool of unused talent and created a sustainable livelihood for countless individuals.
“We started to train women in villages when we couldn’t find enough women in cities. We had sewing machines already. So, we started training centers and worked to upskill these women.”
With perseverance and vision, Anjali and her team have brought in 5,500 women under their wing. The Indian Government’s Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises provided crucial backing. “When the government launched SFURTI (Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries), and issued a grant of ₹5 crore, it was a game changer for us,” she shares.
With its support Anjali was able to bring together all her training facilities under one roof and create a cluster of 740 artisans. “We set up a common center where we have high-tech industrial machines,” she says. It is here that she invests in training, product development, marketing, and more to improve the income of the women who join her program.
By incorporating modern techniques to the traditional craft of jute weaving to elevate demand, Anjali ensures that her customers get the latest products. “We don’t need a designer. Our client is the designer,” she says about this customer-centric approach, which has ensured that her jute products maintain their relevance in this day and age.
Leveraging E-commerce: Jute Goes Digital
After launching her brand, Jute For Life, Anjali decided to embrace e-commerce to catapult her business into the digital age and open new avenues for women’s empowerment. Through the Flipkart Samarth program, she ensured steady orders for her artisans.
This transition not only increased sales, but also allowed Anjali to reach a wider audience. Before venturing into e-commerce, Anjali’s business relied primarily on local orders. She now gets an average of 100-200 orders in a day. “Onboarding with Flipkart Samarth has been a great experience,” she says. “Our products are made here, but they’re going all over the country. A person from Tamil Nadu can buy our bag without having to worry about how it will reach them. They just like it and click it and buy it. That’s a big achievement.”
Anjali firmly believes that e-commerce can be a game-changer for businesses of all sizes.
“People are getting to know us. We’re getting visibility. Basically, the market reach has expanded. So, my advice to new sellers is that if you put in a little effort, understand its processes, and do it with diligence, it can bring you huge numbers.”
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