Reema Gulati, 45 years young gutsy Punjaban with roots in Delhi; mother to an eighteen-year son is making waves across Bharat with her passion for doing something substantial for the upliftment of artisans connected with the age-old heritage of printing & dyeing ethnic hand-made textiles, apparels & bric-a-bracs.
Her undertaking Subhuuti offers a range of eco-friendly articles including Dupattas, Sarees, Juttis(traditional hand-made footwear), and several unique handicraft items. The products reflect different craftsmanship styles from various parts of India, be it- Duboo & Bagru Prints (Rajasthan), Patan Patola (Rajkot), Phulkari (Punjab), Chikankari (Lucknow) Bandani / Shibori (Rajasthan).
Reema strongly feels that at Subhuuti, our goal is to pamper the customer and offer handpicked & customised products. All designs and Motifs are unique and created lovingly after a long and lengthy interaction with the artisans.
Reema started her career as an administrator in a renowned company for a good six years and took a much-deserved sabbatical break when her son was born to enjoy motherhood and take care of the family. She again resumed her professional career and worked as a teacher in a reputed educational institution. But as time passed, and as she climbed the professional ladder, there was an inner urge to do something more substantial. And as luck turned out, while travelling through villages and small towns of Northern States of Bharat she witnessed the sad plight and penury of artisans struggling to make a living.
“Inspite of the great skills and product quality most of the weavers and their families were utterly dependent on the ‘middlemen’ who exploited them at every stage. So I decided to support this fast vanishing arts & their artisans from further decline,” said Reema Gulati.
Subhuuti took shape as a socio-commercial cottage venture with the avowed goal of turning, sustaining & eventually establishing a ‘direct from artist to consumer platform.
Her keen eye and talent for garment and jewellery design and grooming, which she was deeply passionate about since her teens helped her in the initial challenges & struggles. But with each passing day, she kept exploring & stretching her knowledge horizon, even as she refined, streamlined. Thankfully the firm support of family coupled with her zeal & resolve made things start happening; each piece of the order set in motion a cascading referral chain of satisfied and happy customers.
Reema fondly recalls Subhuuti’s journey from the holiest city of ‘Kashi”-The city of Lights (Varanasi, Benares), the eternal abode of Kashi Vishwanath. “The divine city guided me to polish and grow my skills as an artist and enhanced my knowledge of fabrics, designs, patterns and techniques” she adds.
In her quest to connect & synergize both artisans & their end customers as also offer the best of Indian textiles to customers at Subhuuti, her constant & wide travels took her from Lucknow to Punjab to Jaipur and to Rajkot, exploring the richness and variety of Indian textile and handicraft work. “For me, every work trip was a new lesson and a humbling opportunity to learn about Indian craftmanship, directly from artisans, who along with their families had spent generations perfecting their techniques, designs and styles. Every interaction with the local artisans have been an immense learning experience for me, which has been fully incorporated in the wide range, texture, pricing at Subhuuti,” she added further.
Subhuuti’s socio-commercial entrepreneurship portends a new era & self-help support the eco-system for all the forgotten heritage artisans. Incidentally “Vocal for Local” as being encouraged by the government of India is happily being implemented on-ground by our enterprising band of ‘Women Entrepreneurs’ to further the movement of restoring & strengthening artisanal heritage.
For Further Information contact- Mob- 8700423624, reemehragulati@gmail.com
