It believes that advisory services lead by team of professional having decades of implementation exper EcoKargha Consulting Private Limited started as Eco Kargha Handicrafts Marketing Private Limited on Sep 25, 2012 with registered address in Bhagalpur, Bihar. EcoKargha was a for-profit company that worked with tusser silk weavers of Bhagalpur in Bihar. It producedsilk sarees, stoles and dress mat
erial on handloom, which is then sold to retailers in large Indian cities or was exported. It was founded by Ravi Chandra, who is a post-graduate from the Institute of Rural Management, Anand. Before starting Eco Kargha in 2012, Ravi had over six years of experience in working with artisans, farmers and in rural development. Earlier, he had co-founded the Bihar Development Trust, which designed a livelihood programme based on bamboo incense sticks and agriculture. It positively impacted 20,000 households in Bihar.EcoKargha model was based around reviving the role of the master weaver and broadening its base through expanding its network of master weavers. EcoKargha also created a differentiation for their products by engaging National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) for product design development and for capacity building amongst weavers. EcoKargha was deeply engaged in the product process and was integrating the supply chain with engaging with whole ecosystems. It was providing yarn to the weavers, empaneled dyers for dyeing of yarns and fabric, raffu workers and finishing workers. All these stakeholders play an important role in developing a handloom product be it saree, stoles or fabric. In case of the weavers engaged with EcoKargha, about half their income from weaving was accounted for by work originating at EcoKargha and they also engaged in piece rate work commissioned by other traders. EcoKargha was facilitating the opening of bank accounts of weavers. Eco Kargha has received equity funding and business development support from Upaya Social Ventures, a business accelerator focused on social businesses. It was a small company with nine employees and just under a $150,000 as its annual turnover. EcoKargha was working with 500 artisan’s weavers in Bhagalpur & Banka district of Bihar. EcoKargha went through financial losses in the business and the production of handloom saree, stole and dress material etc stopped. After a hiatus and brain storming of future direction, it was decided to gain from the five-year experience of running a manufacturing & marketing concern at bottom of pyramid. The company changed its focus from a product driven company to knowledge driven company. To reflect the change, the name of company was changed to EcoKargha Consulting Private Limited on May 31, 2016 with registered office address at B-403, Saket Vihar Apartment, Khazpura, Bailey Road, Patna-80014 but currently operating from Lucknow
