: Engineer Uses Centuries-Old Fabric to Turn Rs 25000 Investment into Rs 4 Crore Empire #IndiaNEWS #Fashion Hues, colours, and designs have always been an integral part of Anjali Agarwal’s life —

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Engineer Uses Centuries-Old Fabric to Turn Rs 25000 Investment into Rs 4 Crore Empire #IndiaNEWS #Fashion
Hues, colours, and designs have always been an integral part of Anjali Agarwal’s life — whether she was sketching on her bedroom walls as a child or creating four-feet paintings for the entrance of her office building.  



Her interest in art was evident in the way she dressed as well. While studying Electrical Engineering in Kota and during her employment with several companies in different parts of North India, Anjali’s taste for subtle patterns and varied colour combinations were widely acknowledged by her peers.



“I always followed a certain style in dressing which largely consists of salwar suits and sarees. This happened organically as I was closely associated with art from childhood. But it took real shape during my college days in Kota, as the area is a haven of colours, artisans, weavers and more,� the 42-year-old tells The Better India.



Anjali Agrawal.


It was during this period that Anjali became acquainted with a certain fabric called Kota Doria — a light woven fabric of tiny squares, which is handwoven on traditional pit looms in Kaithoon near Kota and other surrounding villages in Rajasthan. The fabric was rare and expensive, but apt for the hot climate of the state.



Anjali began purchasing this fabric and customised salwar suits. Seeing her wear this unique clothing, her friends and family from Gurugram asked her to bring them similar ones.  



The turning point



“I was really comfortable wearing Kota Doria material and continued experimenting with it even after completing college in 2003. My personal clothing was a hit among my colleagues. After getting married to my college friend from Kota, my attachment towards this place deepened. It also gave me a chance to know the city and its nearby villages from where the fabric originated,â€? she shares.  



Anjali worked as an electrical engineer for three years and later moved to software for eight more. In 2014, while working as a software engineer for IBM, she decided to take a break from her career due to a medical condition. She also had plans to set up a homegrown brand during this period in order to follow her passion for patterns and colours.



“Whenever people commented on my clothing and said they have never seen a similar material in their town, I’d wonder why Kota Doria fabric is not popping up in cities. Later, I understood it was due to its high price and limited numbers of weavers in the field. With an aim to spread word about this distinctive fabric and to improve the lives of the village artisans, I launched Kota Doria Silks in 2014,� recalls Anjali, who says she had no experience or background in running a business.

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