How It Started

Kala Tarang was set-up in Singapore by Sangeeta Roy in 2008. Growing up in India, Sangeeta attended many craft fairs and bazaars with her elder sister, who was and still is, an enthusiastic collector of a vast range of Indian ethnic items. Initially a reluctant companion in these craft ‘expeditions’, over time Sangeeta became fascinated by the range of crafts, the combination of their centuries old history and modern appeal.

When she moved out of India, Sangeeta was surprised to see how little known and appreciated Indian craft is outside India. Even though there was a lot of interest in handmade products, there was general lack of awareness about the rich craft traditions from India. Spotting this opportunity, she decided to use her MBA from IIM Bangalore (India) and work experience in consulting and banking to start something for a cause that she felt passionately about. She was convinced that once people have access to the wide variety of handcrafted products and are made aware of the fascinating stories of the crafts and the communities that create them, they will enjoy and love the world of handicrafts just as much as she did. People will realise that the range of colours, textures, forms and shapes, seen in traditional handicrafts are unmatched even today.

In 2004 she started promoting Indian Handicrafts in Switzerland after having moved there from Singapore. She participated in and organized exhibitions in expatriate and corporate clubs in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Encouraged by the positive response among the local and expatriate population, when she moved back to Singapore, she started Kala Tarang in 2008 to promote Indian Handicrafts through its own exhibitions.

Kala Tarang is a FOPSE (For Profit Social Enterprise) that hopes to play its part in closing the gap between communities that create handicrafts using their traditional sustainable processes and the urban populations that both understand the value of these environmentally friendly and love the uniqueness of these creations. It does extensive research on the Indian crafts sector to understand the history and various craft making processes and constantly seeks out NGOs and craftspeople that are experimenting to create items of modern appeal. It currently sources from more than 100 NGOs/craftspersons/handloom designers from across India all of whom adhere to the environmentally friendly processes of the ancient past. Kala Tarang attempts to share learnings from its fascinating journey in the world of handicrafts by organizing exhibitions that are as much about appreciating the arts and crafts of India as they are about selling handicrafts.