Left MNC job, returned to village and set up a company worth lakhs! Khunti’s Shekhar made Bamboo art a global brand

Jamshedpur: If there is passion in your skill and shine in your art, then the world itself gets attracted towards you. Shekhar Mahali, resident of Khunti district of Jharkhand, is a living example of this. Since the time of our grandmothers, there has been a tradition of making useful items from bamboo in their village. This art was deeply ingrained in Shekhar’s childhood.

Returned to village after leaving permanent job
After good studies, Shekhar worked as a Sales Executive Manager in a big MNC in Bengaluru for about 7-8 years. I got job, money and prestige, but I always felt the distance from the soil of my village and the traditional art hidden in it. This incompleteness inspired him to take a big decision and he decided to leave his permanent job and return back to his village.

After coming to the village, Shekhar, along with the local artisans, decided to give a modern form to the bamboo art. He gave it a branded identity by adding new design, creativity and modern touch to the traditional workmanship. This initiative also opened up new employment opportunities for the women and youth of the village.

Produces more than 500 bamboo items
Today Shekhar’s team produces more than 500 Bambu items every month. These include dozens of products like table lamps, flower pots, decorative wall hangings, bamboo baskets, storage boxes, pen stands, plant holders, jewelery boxes, indoor decor frames, bamboo plate-saucers, anti-plastic bamboo bottles and mini showpieces of Dhak Drum. Apart from this, they also make customized gift packs for weddings and festivals, which are in special demand on social media.