Gajam Narmada explaining to a weaver about a saree design.
In a community of handloom weavers, where craft often excels over marketing and sales, leaving them in financial distress, Gajam Narmada, a woman who only completed her Plus 2, has woven an inspiring success story.
She, along with her husband Narendra, painstakingly toured several villages around Puttapaka in Telangana, which is famous for its handloom craft, and convinced over 300 weavers to join their aggregation platform. After building a back-end production infrastructure, the couple visited potential buyers for their produce in neighbouring states.
Weavers are compensated per saree, allowing families to earn a substantial income of about ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 a month. This collaborative network provides a livelihood for about 600 to 800 individuals, considering the family members involved in the weaving process.
“The aggregation of the highly disconnected looms gives us the muscle of a handloom factory with 300 looms. They work to our designs and act as captive producers for us. They give their produce and we find the market access,” Narmada told businessline.
What started as a small business with an investment of ₹1 lakh has florished over time. The company now has a revenue of ₹8 crore. Their unique marketing model has won Narmada a national award from the Union Ministry of Textiles, which was presented to her by Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh in New Delhi on Thursday.
Narendra’s journey in handlooms began early at the age of 17 in 1992-93 as he accompanied his father in the latter’s errands to other markets, seeking business. “He always wanted to break the jinx that held weavers rooted to their profession with little to no expertise in marketing. I wanted to build on his aspirations,” he said.
He observed a critical challenge in the handloom sector. “They make the goods, but they suffer greatly due to lack of marketing and sales,” he noted. In 2000, he relocated to Hyderabad with his wife to establish and expand market linkages.
Narmada, hailing from Shadullapuram in Nalgonda district, also comes from a weaving family, with her grandfather and father being weavers.
“Finding her interest in designs and colour patterns, I decided to lead Narendra Handlooms in 2013,” Narendra said.
She brought in fresh ideas for colour combinations and updated designs, recognising the constant demand for novelty in women’s fashion. “Women always want new designs and new colours,” Narmada, Managing Director of the company, said.
Business model
Narendra sees there is a great scope for multiple companies. “There are thousands of weavers who deserve better market access and sales. There is a need for many such efforts to make them financially viable,” he said.
Narendra’s innovative marketing involves extensive travel to various states like Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Gujarat, showcasing their diverse range of sarees and securing orders from shops and showrooms.
After establishing a firm supply chain, Narmada now looks to expand its marketing and sales operations into international markets.
Published on August 8, 2025
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