Childhood Forged in the Workshop
I was born into a middle-class artisanal family, and my childhood was spent in a workshop-cum-house in Kolhapur. It was as early as I was 5 when father first taught me to hold a tweezer and pick up a thin sheet of gold with it. Despite this early immersion, my parents prioritized formal education. After my 10th grade, I began formally learning artisanal skills during vacations.
The Path to Design: Discovering a New Passion
Initially, I pursued engineering for my undergrads as technology has always kept me fascinating, and I was unaware of any formal design courses till then. It was during my engineering studies that I decided to pursue a Master's in Design, prompting me to begin preparing for the NID entrance exams. Pandemic lockdown further let me flip my career 180 degrees.
Finding IKIGAI: A Return to Jewelry Design
The COVID-19 lockdown, provided me with the opportunity to delve deeper into design while continuing my engineering studies. Starting in August 2020, I concurrently learned artisanal skills from my father and prepared for my Master's entrance exams. I worked as a junior jewelry artisan in manufacturing Kolhapuri Saaj and Thushi. It was here that I discovered my IKIGAI in jewelry. This led me to continue working as a jewelry artisan, exploring design possibilities until June 2023, when I joined NID. This period allowed me to further hone my skills and solidify my commitment to the field of jewelry design.