IndiaCSR News Network
NEW DELHI: Banka Silk was established as an organization with a mandate of imparting the required skills to the weaver community of Banka, connecting them with markets and helping create an eco-system wherein the weaver community can become self sustaining.
Its business model is based on true sustainability, community building and creating leaders. Coming from the fashion world, the founder has established a strong network backed by the phenomenal skill of silk weaving.
Udyan Singh, the founder of Banka Silk, was the pioneer who helped to garner financial support for these weavers through micro finance schemes.
The families of nearly 1000 weavers earn their livelihood from Banka Silk and this number is expected to increase in coming years. This is contrary to the current declining trend in the number of weavers in Banka in the past decade. Banka Silk has a mandate of encouraging more and more people to take up weaving as a profession and become an integral part of the century old legacy whilst making a thriving livelihood.
Key processes used by Banka Silk include extraction of silk filaments from home grown cocoons after which the yarns are further interlaced on handlooms using age old processes to produce various types of fabrics. Most noteworthy is the fact that the entire ecosystem is kept out of bounds from the effects of manufacturing equipment that use non eco friendly raw materials and processes. Even the dyes used are of vegetable origin, which ensure zero carbon foot print.
The positioning of these handloom crafted apparel have been translucent since ages which could easily be seen through this cultivating scenario of handloom sector where there are product dying, manpower dying, motivation dying, immunity dying and system dying with each passing day! Despite of abundant schemes and subsidies these weavers and artisans are not able to qualify for the financial benefit which is in regard to their economic uprising as well as the social empowerment.
This marketing horizon would only take place when these thousands of artisans and handloom weavers would get through the channelized medium on a standardized wage rate with maximum return for their inputs and socializing these communities on a platform where they commerce and showcase the best of their handcrafted articles which would lead them to the pinnacle of existence and empowerment.
Motto behind Banka Silk
Education is our weapon against poverty. Banka Silk supports a social cause program with a simple aim of dedicating itself to improving the lives of weaver’s communities. A lack of education denies us our freedom to choose the kind of life we want to lead; it robs us of our potential and closes many doors of opportunities that otherwise may have been open. This loss of potential is suffered not only by the individual but also the community and in turns a country’s social and economic development.
Udyan Singh, Founder, Banka Silk
A pioneer in film making turned into a social entrepreneur, Mr. Udyan Singh had always been keen towards developing and exploring multiple dimensions. Initially, he had a paramount interest towards Civil Engineering. After completing the course, he served Indian Railways for more than 5 years. Having the monotonous life, away from his dreams of creativity, he finally decided to forge into the world of creativity hence, completed Interior Designing and stepped into Film Making. He experimented and used his skills in the field of film making, TV soaps & various ad films. He had produced more than a 100 hundred ad films like. He has over 15 years of experience in designing and has delivered projects in livelihood creation, media and entertainment, conventional and non conventional livelihood sectors such as silk weavers, lac jewelry workers, managing Urban youth Development centers and also for various other schemes of marginalized and socially excluded people.
He has been successful in creating ventures, and in promoting social entrepreneurs and marketing of social products. He has experience in working with State and Central government. He has also produced advertisement films with top rated Bollywood stars, produced prime time shows for Door-Darshan (DD1).He has now headed towards creating a significant change into the lives of the Indian artisans by the name ‘Banka Silk’.
