Meet Some of Our Talented Artisans

 

Shanti Verma was one of the first artisans I met and the quiet inspiration behind Shilp. Sitting cross-legged near New Delhi Railway Station, she sells a small collection of terracotta diyas and incense holders, each shaped with care and years of practice. In her sixties now, Shanti aunty works at a nearby garment factory most of the year, just to support her family of six. Pottery has always been her true love, passed down through generations, but life left little room for it. Her work only gets attention during festival months the rest of the year, her wheel gathers dust, and her art waits in silence.

 

Meeting her made me realize something powerful: India’s handmade heritage isn’t disappearing it’s just being overlooked. Shilp was born out of that moment, with a promise to give artists like Shanti a platform not just during Diwali, but every single day.

 

A daring young man from a village near Kolhapur, Maharashtra. He had arrived in Delhi with nothing more than a trunk of bamboo creations, a borrowed cart, and a quiet dream to be seen. Raised in a family of craftsmen, Raghav learned the art of bamboo weaving from his uncle, but what sets him apart is how he is reinventing it. He makes elegant wind chimes that sing when the breeze passes through, tall rain sticks that mimic the soothing sound of falling water, and handcrafted bamboo chandeliers that glow like lanterns from a dream. Alongside them, he makes eco-friendly fountains, flower pots, and rustic home decor that feel rooted yet modern.

 

 “People think bamboo is simple,” he says, “but it teaches you balance, patience, and rhythm. Just like life.” Despite language barriers and limited resources, Raghav has not given up. For him, every sale is a step toward dignity and every compliment is a reminder that his craft matters. Watching him work, one thing becomes clear: Shilp is not just a platform. It’s a homecoming for the hands that build beauty.

A Delhi-based artisan who began his journey in 2024 with a simple vision to create sustainable, handcrafted products using traditional jute. Starting from a small corner of his home, Ravinder began designing eco-friendly jute bags, planters, and home décor items that reflect both elegance and environmental consciousness. What began as a humble passion soon evolved into a growing brand that supports local women artisans and keeps Indian craft alive.

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Today, his vibrant work at Shilp, showcases a beautiful collection of handwoven jute pieces from rustic lamps to earthy table mats and vase. Each product carries a story of skill, tradition, and care, making it not just a purchase, but a piece of sustainable art you can bring home.

Near the crowded stretch outside the Delhi Railway Station, Rakhi sits beside her husband, shaping beauty the world often overlooks. A skilled handloom and ceramic artisan from Bihar, she arranges her woven mats and tiny clay bowls on a simple cloth, while her husband quietly sets up the stand, brushing dust off each piece as if protecting her dreams.

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Most people rush past, too busy to notice the precision in her fingers or the pride in his eyes. Yet every morning they return, he offering shade with an old umbrella, she creating art with steady patience. At dawn she weaves cotton threads, and by evening she moulds clay that carries the warmth of her touch.

​​Their stall may be small, but together they fill it with hope: her craftsmanship, his constant support, and a silent belief that one day, someone will stop long enough to see the beauty they build side by side.

 

Behind every stroke is a lifetime. In the heart of Delhi’s craft scene, Mukesh Kumar, a soft-spoken painter with decades of experience, sits quietly at his stall in Delhi Haat , brush in hand and soul in his art. He doesn’t believe in repetition, every painting is a one-of-a-kind expression of devotion, detail, and patience. Watching him paint is like watching time slow down. He brings every flower, every figure, every border to life with an elegance that machines could never match.

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His artworks, priced at ₹7,500 or ₹12,500, seem almost modest when you see the passion, precision, and hours he pours into each one. Sitting under a small shade in parks of Delhi, surrounded by color and calm, it’s humbling to realize that you’re not just buying a painting you’re carrying home a piece of someone’s life’s work. Mukesh ji doesn’t sell art; he shares stories, one brushstroke at a time.

 

amin Mawlong journey began far from the noise, on a childhood visit to his ancestral village in Meghalaya, where he first watched his grandmother braid palm strips into a humble basket. She told him, “A leaf becomes beautiful only in patient hands.” That sentence stayed with him long after he returned to the capital.

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What started as a nostalgic attempt to recreate his grandmother’s craft in his small Delhi room slowly grew into a calling. Today, Lamin’s date-palm leaf creations find a place at local haats, sustainable craft pop-ups, and curated lifestyle exhibitions. Each piece is crafted with responsibly sourced leaves, countless patient hours, and a mind that believes in slow, mindful art. Whether it’s a woven lamp that brings warmth to a modern apartment, a delicately patterned wall piece, or a custom hand-braided basket, Lamin’s creations are more than décor. They are small sanctuaries of nature, carrying the calm of his roots into the heart of Delhi.

A soft-spoken artisan from East Delhi, began her journey with jute not as a business, but as a necessity. When her family’s income came to a sudden halt during the lockdown, she turned to the one skill she had learned in her younger days handcrafting bags. Sitting on her veranda with nothing but raw jute, a needle, and determination, Meena began creating simple, sturdy bags. One order led to another, and soon, what started as survival became her passion.

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Today, her handmade jute bags are earthy, elegant, and sustainable are displayed proudly at Shilp, each one stitched with care and quiet strength. Meena has not only built a small business but also a community of women who work alongside her, reclaiming their confidence one bag at a time. For her, every piece sold is more than income it’s a symbol of resilience, dignity, and the quiet power of starting over.

In a quiet lane of New Delhi, Raj Kumar shapes more than stone, he shapes silence, stories, and the soul of centuries. His journey began not in a grand studio, but in a small courtyard where he watched his father gently carve miniature idols for temples. One evening, while smoothing the edge of an unfinished sculpture, Raj felt a tiny tremor beneath his fingers, as if the stone itself breathed. That moment stayed with him.

What started as a curious attempt to understand the personality of each stone turned into a lifelong devotion. Soon, people brought him broken ancestral murtis, lost fragments of door frames, or raw blocks of marble from nearby quarries. With every restored deity, every revived motif, every face he carved back into existence, Raj discovered something deeper, not just talent, but a responsibility to preserve stories that time tries to forget.

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Today, Raj's fine hand-carved sculptures sit at heritage exhibitions, local haats, and in homes that treasure the old ways. Each piece is chiseled with patient hours, natural stones, and a mind that listens more than it cuts. Whether it’s a serene meditating Buddha, a flowing tribal dancer, or a custom family figurine carved from a single block, Raj’s creations are heirlooms, carrying history, memory, and the quiet heartbeat of the stone itself.

In the heart of Sonipat, Sunita Malik crochets more than just yarn she crochets comfort, memories, and joy. What began as a way to pass time during quiet afternoons quickly turned into a heartfelt craft when she made her first soft toy for her granddaughter a tiny bunny with floppy ears and a stitched-on smile. The happiness in that moment stayed with her. Soon, neighbours began placing requests, and with each lovingly made bear, dinosaur, or doll, Sunita found not just purpose, but a new identity as an artisan.

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Today, Sunita’s handcrafted crochet soft toys bring smiles to children and nostalgia to grown-ups at Shilp and local fairs. Each toy is made with hours of care, safety-tested yarns, and a heart full of intention. Whether it’s a sleepy elephant, a mushroom girl, or a custom name-stitched teddy, Sunita’s creations are more than toys they’re keepsakes, filled with warmth and woven stories.