WSL Desk
Indha, a women-led social enterprise incubated by Literacy India, trains rural women to become eco-entrepreneurs. Founded by Captain Indraani Singh—the world’s first female Airbus 300 Commander—Indha claims to have trained and positively impacted over 10,000 women and more than 100 rural families through skill development and employment.”More than 300 eco-conscious, handmade products created annually for homes, offices, and gifting leveraging technology, including AI-powered design tools,” Indha said.
Also Read: Parnika India Expands Women Support Program to Empower 100,000 Entrepreneurs by 2030
Crafting Change Through Sustainable Design
What began as a modest initiative in Village Daulatabad, Gurgaon, has grown into a network of ten full-fledged production and design units. These centres focus on upcycling a wide range of waste materials—including CPUs, packaging wood, fabric scraps, glass bottles, and old sarees—into high-quality home décor items, utility products, stationery, and corporate gifts. The enterprise places handmade craftsmanship and traditional Indian art at the core of its production philosophy.
“Our design thinking is rooted in frugal innovation – from making bags out of newspapers, using old sarees for children’s dresses, or converting waste wood into art. This ethos eventually led us to set up our own paper recycling unit. For us, sustainability isn’t a trend – it’s our foundation,” said Capt. Indraani Singh.
Tech-Enabled Creativity and Community Building
Indha’s artisans, primarily women from rural and peri-urban communities, are trained not only as skilled craftswomen but also as leaders and mentors. They actively participate in managing production lines, innovating new designs, and training new entrants in embroidery, stitching, printing, and papercraft. Digital tools, including WhatsApp groups and AI-powered design platforms, enable seamless collaboration and knowledge sharing across centres, strengthening both creativity and community.
Corporate Partnerships Driving ESG Goals
The enterprise has garnered support from corporates seeking purpose-driven procurement aligned with ESG goals. Organisations such as KPMG India, Dell, Orange, Teleperformance, Inteach, BioDerma, and Sita India have partnered with Indha for sustainable gifting and employee engagement programs.
Through a growing presence via exhibitions and institutional collaborations, Indha says it has established itself as a scalable, replicable model of circular economy that puts women, innovation, and responsible designing at its core.
Circular Economy Rooted in Grassroots Innovation
As India intensifies its focus on climate resilience, skill-building, and green innovation, Indha’s story underscores the transformative potential of grassroots enterprises.
Indha
Indha is a social enterprise under Literacy India that promotes upcycling, sustainable design, and rural livelihoods. Since 2005, it has empowered thousands of women to transform waste materials into eco-friendly products for conscious consumers and corporates, championing circular economy practices rooted in community development.
