Hand Painted Earthen – At the point when 24-year-old Ranodeep Saha, a local of Kolkata, was a kid, his folks regularly urged him to invest his energy painting. “I used to loathe it at that point, and didn’t consider it as something I would seek after long haul,” he tells The Better India.
Yet, things changed when Ranodeep succumbed to a young lady during his school days. “I began painting for her. She dismissed my proposition, however I tracked down another affection — painting kulhads,” he says.
This adoration in the long run prompted his startup, Rare Planet, which gives native handiworks made of earthenware, copper, wood, clay, metal, and marble. The organization, helped to establish by Vijay Kumar, has involved north of 10,000 nearby craftsmans from everywhere India.
Uncommon Planet’s excursion started in 2015, during a school fest, where Ranodeep set up his painted earthenware kulhads available to be purchased. “I got them from neighborhood craftsmans, and painted them with lively tones and plans. Later the fest, I got a few requests, which assisted me with seeing how intrigued individuals were close by painted kulhads,” Ranodeep says.
Age is only a number
He chose to sell these kulhads at an Oxford book slow down close to his home. “For one rack’s space, I needed to pay Rs 50,000 to the slow down proprietor. I didn’t have numerous reserve funds, and came from a working class family that couldn’t manage the cost of the gigantic sum. In this way, I settled on an understanding ahead of time with the proprietor, which expressed that the lease of the store could be paid before the month’s over. Luckily, the retailer concurred,” he says.
Ranodeep began by selling the items with his dad’s assistance, since they needed more cash to recruit laborers. In the principal month itself, he had the option to procure Rs 1.5 lakh. He then, at that point, utilized this cash to recruit more representatives.
All the while, he started selling the items in other book shops in Kolkata. Yet, this was consistently difficult. “Numerous book shop proprietors were reluctant to give me rack space since I was an understudy and they figured I wouldn’t have the option to maintain a business. I needed to in a real sense argue,” he reviews, and adds, “A few entryways shut, yet all at once some opened.”
Ranodeep chipped away at earthenware kulhads that were twice prepared in the heater, and afterward kept out in the sun to solidify and become strong. They were covered to make them non-tacky, reusable, and microwave and dishwasher confirmation. With assistance from a school companion, Ranodeep began Rare Planet’s site, and began selling his hand-painted items to clients on the web.
In 2016, he moved toward Kolkata air terminal with a proposition to open a store inside the premises. Yet, the air terminal chief debilitate him, saying he was excessively youthful for business. Nonetheless, he assisted Ranodeep with interfacing WHSmith, which has stores in air terminals across India. That very year, Rare Planet started tasks in Kolkata Airport’s WHSmith. Today, 85% of his items are sold across WHSmith stores in all air terminals.
In 2017, Ranodeept opened a book slow down in Kolkata, in the wake of seeing that individuals’ adoration for books has not blurred in this computerized age. “I saw many individuals scrutinizing their cherished books at the stores our items were kept in. This provided me with beginning one of my own,” he says.
After a year, Ranodeep moved on from school, yet was reluctant to take up a corporate occupation in a presumed organization. He proceeded with extending his startup all things being equal. In 2019, he met Vijay, who had long stretches of involvement with retail and way of life.
“Today, Rare Planet’s items are accessible across 100 stores, including Crossword, Starmark, WHSmith, and SAPNA Books. The organization’s valuation has gotten over Rs 100 crore, and the items are sold external India too, including the US and Australia,” Vijay tells The Better India.
“We are intending to grow our organization. Our main goal will be turning out to be all the more carefully available. This will assist clients with requesting items without any problem. Furthermore, our attention is on opening more stores in air terminals. Third, we will zero in on shopping stores. We presently have stores in more than 100 areas, and are pursuing opening more,” Vijay adds.
‘A multitude of craftsmans’
“At first, I was Rare Planet’s just craftsman, however presently we have more than 10,000. They come from 18 groups, including Kashmir, Rajasthan and Gujarat. We work like a military, and each craftsman is similarly significant here,” Ranodeep says, adding, “Our organization works somewhat better. We pay the compensation to the lady part in the family, as a large portion of the ones who work here spend the cash for alcohol.” The men are more than content with this interesting thought, and regularly concur themselves that the cash would be in better hands assuming it went to their spouses.
Uncommon Planet utilizes inventive ways of keeping their group inspired. Last Diwali, they provided their workers’ homes with a lively layer of paint with complicated plans. “We ensure we pay them inside three days of the start of the month, so they can reinvest in making their next item. We additionally give them clinical protection,” Ranodeep says.
Aside from earthenware kulhads, the organization likewise makes adornments, stoneware, bottles, crafted works, fixed and home stylistic theme items. The items can be purchased online through the organization’s true site or on Flipkart, Amazon, and MensXP.
