Guwahati: Prarthana Majumdar, a PhD scholar from IIT-Guwahati and alumnus of the prestigious Stanford University in the US, is passionate about solving real-world problems with good designs. The 36-year-old's latest enterprise 'Dzukou', named after a verdant valley in Nagaland, which she co-founded with Dutch architect, Lars Hoogewerf, has been Prarthana’s most memorable adventure so far.

In 'Dzukou', Prarthana, who hails from Guwahati, and her team blend the ethnic and the traditional with innovative designs to produce premium goods that are eco-friendly and engage rural communities. Business North East recently caught up with Prarthana to learn more about her brand (which mostly sells to Europe and the US) and some insights into her entrepreneurial journey. 

Here are some excerpts from the interview:

Business North East: Tell us about the journey of Dzukou.

Prarthana Majumdar: It has been three years since we started selling under the Dzukou brand, which we conceptualized as a luxury line. We intended to sell crafted materials from different corners of the region throughout India and also overseas. Initially, we had to navigate through some initial roadblocks - such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the anti-CAA protests in Assam. During this period, we were unable to work with artisans from rural areas. We eventually decided to sell both factory-made and hand-crafted products. What sets us apart from other brands is that we sit with the craftsmen and experiment with their materials first-hand.

Our collection includes stoles, kimono lines, towel lines, and textile-based products. We don’t stay limited to that. We are expanding to cutlery, lamp shades, and outdoor products. We cannot avoid the handicrafts sector, but we have lots of other materials as well. In the Northeast, we have cane, bamboo, bell metal, brass metal, black pottery, water hyacinth, and fibres. We will introduce fibre materials for making bags, and outdoor products.

We began our operation in Assam and now have a presence in Nagaland and expect to reach Manipur soon. As of now, our products are sold mostly in Europe and the US, but we can grow in India as well. 

BNE: As a Stanford University graduate, did your educational background help in your business? 

PM: When I passed out from Stanford University, I got a job at the Apple headquarters in California. While working there, I saw how immaculate their designs which served as an inspiration for my later work. My PhD brought me to India and led me to the villages. During fieldwork, I saw the immense potential in the countryside that was not fully explored. For instance, fungus is grown everywhere in the Northeast. Many things can be made from fungus, but the practice is still not prevalent in Assam. In Meghalaya, it has just started. So, I felt that there was an immense possibility in the northeast to tap into these unexplored sectors. I felt like I could start something of my own.

My PhD knowledge contributed a lot to this company. We learnt the technical skills and a certain way of thinking. A PhD in design teaches you a certain framework. We learn how to experiment and about communities and their social dynamics.

I also learnt that there are four different fronts in which sustainability comes into play. These are economic, environmental, social and cultural. So, economically we are required to be sustainable.  You have to generate revenue. Of course, the need for environmental sustainability is always there that we often talk about.  Then comes social and cultural sustainability. Rural structures are being destroyed due to globalization as mass production is happening in India and China. Our goal is to keep the rural communities intact by giving them facilities and modernizing their products to generate a good income. 

BNE: Have you secured any funds from the government?

PM: As a young company, it is difficult to get R&D funding. However, we applied to various agencies and qualified for funding from the Assam Start-Up NEST. Recently, we also qualified for funding from IIT-Bionest. However, we have reached a stage where external funding will be required. We are looking at venture capital funding directly or maybe a couple of private investors. We need mass-scale investments.

BNE: How much did you invest initially and what is the turnover?

PM: Initially, we invested around Rs 15-20 lakhs in the first year. The investment has now grown to Rs 60 lakhs. We did bootstrapping efficiently which is why we are still able to survive. Everything is paid for through revenue. But, the issue is if we grow at this scale, it will grow in this manner only. External stimulation is required for expanding on a mass scale.  If we buy in bulk then we will get the things in half of the price. We can do this, only when we have an investor. Our profitability will increase and we will be then able to invest in advertising. Now we are growing without marketing advertisements. But the rate is slow. So far, we have managed to earn 1.2 crores. Ours is a growing company, so it is a positive sign.

BNE: How do you retail your products?

PM: We have an online store which also offers global shipping. In fact, amidst war, we have delivered our products to Israel, and Syria. World over, we have very fast shipping. Someone ordering from Europe will have the products delivered within one or two days. We also have products on e-commerce platforms like Amazon,  Flipkart, etc. Additionally, we go for B2B sales as well. We supply to stores as well. Sometimes, companies approach us for corporate gifting. 

BNE: What are the challenges you are facing?

PM: Our office is in Guwahati and therefore, we have to hire our staff from the region. Most talented youths go outside Assam looking for work. We keep a team small team, but finding people of good calibre is difficult now. Also, people are more interested in government jobs and do not see a future here.

In rural areas problems are multi-dimensional. Firstly, every supplier is located quite a ways away and seasonal employment is more common. Sometimes there is a dearth of raw materials too. There is a lack of business sense and professionalism.

Another issue we deal with is the homogeneity in craft clusters. If someone is working on water hyacinth, then the whole area will work on water hyacinth. But, to make a product, you need different materials. Their supply chains are also very weak. They are not connected with any other clusters like a leather maker. We as a designer are required to forge such networks. When we make one product we supplement it with various products to make it functionally suitable.

BNE: What does the future of Dzukou look like?

PM: Our products are very experiential. The quality can only be assessed when one touches our wares. So, we need stores, probably in Amsterdam or New York. In India, Mumbai is a good location. We aim for more and more clusters to work for us to create a mass impact. Secondly, we want to diversify our product line and become a full-fledged lifestyle store. 

BNE: What kind of scientific innovations are you using in your work?

PM: I am using 2-3 research frameworks that I learnt during my PhD. One of the methods that I use is the material-driven design method.  Here, we do not think about the final product initially. Instead, we experiment with the products and make diverse samples that we distribute to the people so that we can gauge the reaction. For instance, if a product is very smooth and comfortable, we make bed linen out of it.  

In my PhD, I have used social network analysis which is another mechanism that helps us build networks in rural communities. Internally, these societies are very close-knit. If we want to do work in rural areas we must find out who the important people are and decide whom we can approach. 

I use a lot of science actively, but at the end of the day, it is a labour-intensive sector where technology is not a priority. In the future, however, we may go for more patents.