Bengaluru, Karnataka — In a significant step toward rural empowerment and environmental sustainability, Geetakavya Ventures, founded by Geetha Velapil and Kavya Ramakanth, has inaugurated its first self-help group, Asha Enterprises. The launch ceremony was graced by P. Sashidhar, Senior Assistant Director (Retd.), Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), New Delhi.
Asha Enterprises is a collective of rural women artisans engaged in the production of handcrafted, all-natural incense sticks and dhoopa cones. The initiative seeks to promote eco-friendly practices while providing sustainable livelihood opportunities to women from underserved communities.
The concept for Asha Enterprises emerged from the vision of Geetha Velapil, also the founder of Handcraft Studio Academy, who has long championed the empowerment of women through skill-based training. Identifying latent talent within rural areas, she initiated training programs aimed at reviving traditional incense-making techniques and generating local employment.
One of the earliest participants, Asha Sudhir, discovered her passion for incense crafting through the program. Under Velapil’s mentorship, she progressed to become a senior trainer and has since trained more than 200 women from various rural regions. Her contribution has played a pivotal role in spreading the craft and fostering economic self-reliance among many families.
Asha Enterprises is distinguished by its commitment to sustainability and zero-waste practices. The artisans repurpose discarded flowers collected from temples, weddings, and community events—floral waste that would otherwise end up in landfills. These flowers are carefully dried and processed into fragrant materials used in the production of incense and dhoopa.
Each stage of the process—from collection and curing to hand-rolling and packaging—is carried out using traditional methods by skilled women artisans. This ensures not only high-quality products but also the preservation of heritage techniques and the creation of dignified employment within the community.
Speaking at the inauguration, Mr. P. Sashidhar commended the initiative, stating, “Asha Enterprises is a remarkable example of how traditional skills, when nurtured through structured training and vision, can lead to meaningful socio-economic change.”
With its holistic approach to empowerment, sustainability, and cultural preservation, Asha Enterprises serves as a replicable model for grassroots entrepreneurship. The initiative stands as a testament to the transformative impact of combining community-driven efforts with environmentally conscious practices.
As Geetakavya Ventures looks ahead, Asha Enterprises marks only the beginning of a larger mission—to inspire similar initiatives across rural India and help turn village dreams into sustainable, fragrant realities.
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