In 2010, documentary filmmaker Nitin Pamnani and microbiologist Jia Pamnani decided to move back to Gwalior, their hometown, from Delhi.
Wanting to engage in something that promotes sustainability, they began iTokri in 2012. Starting with an investment of Rs 20 lakh, the online store, which sells handcrafted fabrics, jewellery, paintings and other artworks, today works with over 10,000 artisan families across India. Even while clocking revenue of close to Rs 27 crore, the duo remain bootstrapped and have not looked to raise capital yet.
Today, iTokiri’s employee strength is at 130, all of whom work out of Gwalior.
The moment you receive a parcel packaged in an old newspaper along with a handwritten note thanking you for your purchase, you know for sure it’s from iTokri. The go-to online store for Indian handlooms and handicrafts, iTokri always believes in the personal touch, whether with their customers or with their artisans. And that is one of the reasons for their resounding success.
The other reason is that it stocks everything handmade from every corner of the country. From papier mache up north in Kashmir and Ajrakh of Kutch from the west to Bengal Kantha from the east and Coimbatore’s handspun cotton down south—you name it and iTokri has it. You no longer have to travel to these places to procure the local handicrafts, because the e-commerce store sources all this directly from the artisans and bring it right to your doorstep. All the while sitting in Gwalior, its home base.
