Founders
Anupriya Mridha: Co-Founder & Head Designer
“To raise a nature-bonded child is to raise a rebel, a dreamer, an innovator... someone who will walktheir own verdant, winding path.” ~Nicolette Sowder
Anu’s friends, family & loved ones know her as nature’s child.
To think that the planting & growing of her being in the lush hills of the Eastern Ghats was by chance and circumstance would be shortsighted. It happens to be pure destiny. The beauty of Koraput called her from her mother’s womb. She was right where she was supposed to be.
While teachers taught her mathematics, science & art, nature taught her fluidity. Growing up in Koraput also made her an empirical witness to the vibrant Adivasi culture. To this day, she maintains deep reverence for their artistic style, skill & their way of living in harmony with nature. As the lead dreamer at Vani Vrtti, her unique designs have strong impressions of these influences. Often, she takes inspiration from Odisha’s culture, traditions & history and pays homage to them in her designs. As a ferocious nature devotee & protector, she finds great joy in taking up guardianship of the Odisha handloom art form and designing a weaver-buyer ecosystem that is both profitable and sustainable. After graduating from NIFT, Delhi, in 2015, Anu worked as a textile consultant & handloom specialist with Fabindia before starting Vani Vrtti. Through these years in the handloom industry, she has amassed immense fieldwork experience in Odisha, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal.
Amlan Mandal: Co-founder & CEO
Who is a good friend?The one who says all the right things & is there to celebrate you during good times. Or, the one whowhispers words of encouragement when you need it & tells you like it is while building you up.