Radhakanta from Subarnapur district devoted 13 years of his life to the heritage of weaving and yet, found him struggling with the harsh realities of sustaining a handloom business. Lack of market connections and entrepreneurial guidance made it difficult for him to sell his products. Also, a major hurdle to his business expansion was the lack of credit access.
Navigating these difficulties posed a great challenge to Radhakanta until Swakalpa entered his life. Swakalpa is a self-employment training and entrepreneurship development programme, led by the Odisha Skill Development Authority and World Skill Center, funded by Asian Development Bank, and implemented by Palladium India. It aims to train 10,000 youths in self-employment and establish 1,000 micro-businesses in Odisha, with a focus on ensuring 25% female participation.
Radhakanta received training and mentorship guidance about different aspects of setting up a handloom enterprise. The programme also supported him in legal assistance with Udyam Aadhar registration and business modelling. With the right guidance, Radhakanta established his enterprise, Radhakanta Handloom. He also secured a loan of Rs 50,000 from the Bank of Baroda enabling him to acquire essential machinery for scaling his operations.
He received support in formulating branding strategies, cataloguing, and creative marketing to showcase his craftsmanship to a wider audience. Swakalpa also facilitated market linkages through exhibitions, bulk buyers, and e-commerce platforms. The programme linked him with esteemed brands like Tisser India and the Dunguripali Farmers Producers Company which significantly expanded his business reach.
Presently, his business boasts of an annual turnover of Rs 5 lakh per annum, yielding a net profit of Rs 1.5 lakh. Serving as a beacon of hope within his community, his enterprise has created employment opportunities for two individuals. Swakalpa has connected him with technology like Kosha AI which helps in authenticating his products and getting fair price for his hard work. Swakalpa also linked him with Bharat Pe giving him access to a unified QR code for seamless payment solutions.
“I am proud of uplifting my family, community, and my State through our traditional craft,” says Radhakanta, beaming with pride over his handloom products.
