Sushmita Kaneri: Gullakaari

Not every engineer ends up saving dying art forms, but Sushmita Kaneri did. Originally from Pune, Maharashtra, Sushmita was trained as a techie. But while her peers pursued corporate careers, she found herself drawn to something else, the fragile state of Indian crafts. Artisans with incredible skills were struggling to make ends meet. Traditional art forms were fading because there was little to no awareness and almost no market support. Most artisans weren’t even paid enough to live a dignified life, let alone continue their legacy. That’s when Sushmita founded Gullakaari, a non-profit initiative that works to revive endangered Indian crafts and help rural artisans become self-sustainable.

Building a Foundation for Dying Crafts

Gullakaari is a passion project designed to uplift and reconnect craftspeople with ways to make a living from their work. The foundation collaborates with over 1,000 artisans from across multiple Indian states and union territories, preserving lesser-known craft forms.

Many of the crafts are passed down for generations within families and communities that are now disconnected from modern markets. Gullakaari helps bridge that gap. The platform connects artisans to modern standards, enabling them to create corporate gifts and relevant products like Warli-printed lunch bags and Patachitra diaries, helping them earn a stable income. It helps connect artisans with today’s consumer needs using eco-friendly methods, without compromising their craft.

(Image credits: Gullakaari by Sushmita Kaneri - The Better India)

Some of the forms they’ve worked with include:

- Tholu Bommalata: An ancient shadow puppetry tradition from Andhra Pradesh.
- Gond painting: Tribal folk art known for its storytelling through intricate patterns.
- Rajasthani wood carving: An age-old craft requiring precision and patience.
- Kavad: A rare 500-year-old Rajasthani storytelling art involving wooden box shrines, painting, and carpentry.
- Kashmiri papier-mâché: Introduced in the 14th century by Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, this involves moulding paper pulp into decorative objects and hand-painting them in vibrant colours.

The idea is to evolve without erasing identity. Gullakaari helps artisans earn fair wages while pushing back against the exploitation and invisibility they often face in mainstream systems. Sushmita is building a system where sustainable fashion and ethical buying practices become the norm, one in which artisans and Indian crafts are genuinely valued. This is especially important in contrast to the highly exploitative, mass-produced fashion industry.

(Image credits: Sushmita Kaneri, founder of Gullakaari)

Gullakaari also works to teach new skills to communities so they can earn a livelihood. For example, a team travelled to Raigad to train women from the Katkari tribe, a vulnerable tribal group, in candle-making. They also host workshops like the Cheriyal painting tote bag workshop, where participants learn directly from traditional artists and gain hands-on experience of India’s rich cultural heritage.

They are strongly pro-artisan-made because extraordinary artisan work often goes undervalued, and many artisans do not want their children to continue the legacy, simply because it brings no financial stability. That is the unfortunate reality for many crafts today. Centuries-old skills are being lost because they cannot compete with mass-produced, machine-made goods.

The foundation also spreads awareness about the misconception that handmade items are "too expensive". In truth, each piece is time-consuming, made with love and passion, and carries its own unique character. Many of these crafts are made to last a lifetime.

India’s craft heritage carries generations of craftsmanship and storytelling. Isn’t it time we understood that better and treated these crafts as a part of everyday life?

Our textiles and handmade crafts offer individuality, something fast fashion can never provide, with its repetitive designs and lack of story. And even when there is a story, it’s often one of exploitation and unsustainable practices.

Sushmita Kaneri started this organisation to preserve dying crafts, to help us see the faces behind them, and to remind us of the real need to turn our admiration into active support, so we don’t let go of our cultural past.