: I Quit My Job To Sell Traditional Pottery Heres How It Earns Me Lakhs #IndiaNEWS #Entrepreneurs Few may know the perils of using non-stick utensils, which may provide ease of cooking. They have

I Quit My Job To Sell Traditional Pottery Heres How It Earns Me Lakhs #IndiaNEWS #Entrepreneurs
Few may know the perils of using non-stick utensils, which may provide ease of cooking. They have been found harmful to both the environment and us.

But what is the alternative? While the market is flooded with products that make tall claims of not adversely impacting the environment, one must still exercise caution.

Earthenware utensils seem like a safe bet but fake products, made using non-traditional methods, are looming large. Several earthenware products are being made with a die-cast mould with a chemical coating on it.

Such earthenware might end up causing more harm than we know of.

To bring back traditional pottery, Neeraj Sharma, a resident of Dawla village in Jhajjar (Haryana) was inspired to start his own business named ‘Mitti, Aap Aur Main’ (mud, you and me).

This business is now yielding a monthly turnover of over Rs 2 lakh.

Back to basics

Neeraj Sharma working with local potters to make traditional pottery cool again. Photo courtesy: Neeraj Sharma

An engineer by qualification, Neeraj spent the last two years of his life in his native village. It was here that he learnt how to make traditional utensils without the use of any die-cast moulds or chemicals. Speaking to The Better India, he says, “I started this journey by working with two potters from my village and today there are more than eight potters who are associated with the organisation. The products we make are shipped pan-India. ???

He continues, “Now with an increased level of awareness about the harmful impact of non-stick and plastic utensils, people are actively looking for traditional products. That has helped us immensely. To give our work more weightage, I have also tied up with nutritionists and doctors who often speak about the benefits of these utensils and the harm that the other utensils cause us in the long run. ???

Neeraj completed his engineering from a college in Rohtak in 2016. After that, he got a job with a corporate in Gurgaon where he stayed until 2019. “While I was in Gurgaon I was always troubled by various health issues. If left to my own devices I would have returned to my village earlier on. However, for the sake of my family, I continued in Gurgaon. I went back to my village and told my parents that I would spend the time preparing for the civil service examination instead. ???

Neeraj had made up his mind about not returning to the city. He intended to find some business to engage in while staying in the village.

An idea that germinated from home

An earthen handiImage courtesy: Neeraj Sharma

At home, he started noticing various kinds of earthenware. While some would break rather easily most others were sturdy and had lasted a long time.