The Design for India Foundation (DIF) is a socially responsible, national funding initiative and network dedicated to support to projects committed to creating to creating progressive social change in grassroots communities by applying design-centred solutions. It draws from the philosophy of M.P.Ranjan Come Join DIFmakers to find out how to get involved with flagship project Katlamaro Chalo and make a DIFference

1. KATLAMARA CHALO!
DESIGN INDIA FOUNDATION 2015

2. KATLAMARA CHALO!
The Design for India Foundation (DIF) is a socially responsible, national
funding initiative and network dedicated to support to projects committed to
creating to creating progressive social change in grassroots communities
by applying design-centred solutions. It draws from the philosophy of
M.P.Ranjan
WHAT IS DIF?

3. KATLAMARA CHALO!WHO’S IN DIF?
COME MAKE A DIFference

4. THE DIF TEAM SO FAR
WE NEED YOU
YOU?

5. The Design community has already started working on various projects
inspired by Ranjan. DIF lauds all such efforts to get the design community
to participate
OTHER DESIGN COMMUNITY PROJECTS
INSPIRED BY M.P. RANJAN

6. WHY
KATLAMARA?
RANJAN’S
GRASSROOTS
PHILOSOPHY
Ranjan identified more than 230 sectors of the Indian economy
that could do with serious design interventions.
‘If India is to grow to its fullest potential, each of
these sectors requires every designer’s urgent and
engaged involvement.’

7. WHY
KATLAMARA
?
A BRIEF
BACKGROUND
• Ranjan was involved with Katlamara, a small village with
local bamboo production and craft in North Western
Tripura since 1979.
• He worked with local bamboo artisans many times over the
years to help them develop and sustainable economy
based upon their craft.

8. WHY
KATLAMARA
?
A BRIEF
BACKGROUND
DIF has selected to focus on Katlamara, Tripura as its core
project for the year 2015-16. Taking off from where Ranjan
and many students of NID have been working with
bamboo artisans. Katlamara has naturally growing
bamboo locally called kanakais, and skilled artisans who
make small bamboo products and furniture regularly.

9. GLOBAL
Rs. 54,000 CR INDIA
Rs. 2,000 CR
TRIPURA
Rs. 95 CR
GLOBAL BAMBOO
MARKET VALUE
TRIIPURA BAMBOO
MARKET SHARE
INDIAN BAMBOO
MARKET SHARE
Tripura services only 0.17 of the global bamboo market, and
just 4.75% of the Indian bamboo product market.
This is indicative of the fantastic market demand
and potential
WHY
KATLAMARA?
MARKET
SHARE AND
POTENTIAL

10. KATLAMARA
CHALO!
DIF 2015
PROJECT
OVERVIEW
The Katlamara Bamboo Artisans grassroots community
suffers from poverty, lack of commercial viability for their
products, logistics challenges and poor road infrastructure.

11. KATLAMARA
CHALO!
DIF 2015
PROJECT
OVERVIEW
However, creating a sustainable bamboo craft-based
ecosystem will require a design based intervention to:
• Assist and support locally based bamboo entrepreneurs
to encourage capacity building
• Create design and skill incubation for skill upgradation,
market exposure, prototype development.
• Create new market and sales channels for selling
Katlamara made products.
• Educate children of craftsmen so that they can be
groomed to be next generational craft-preneurs

12. KATLAMARA
CHALO!
IDENTIFYING
THE
PROBLEM
ISSUE 1 : POVERTY
Katlamara’s Bamboo Craft artisans suffer from high
logistics costs leading to high costs while transporting.
Both bamboo farmers and artisans suffer, as they have
not been able to promote local bamboo as a highly prized
bamboo at affordable prices.

13. KATLAMARA
CHALO!
IDENTIFYING
THE
PROBLEM
ISSUE 2: DESIGN & MARKETING CHALLENGES.
Products are needed that are commercially viable,
competitively priced and marketed through proper sales
channels. Earlier interventions suggest that knock down
contemporary furniture with clean lines

14. KATLAMARA
CHALO!
IDENTIFYING
THE
PROBLEM
ISSUE 3: EDUCATION & CAPACITY BUILDING.
There needs to be educating, grooming, and mentoring of
craftspeople to ensure that they become capable social
designpreneurs in their region. This is true for both
current and future generations. It would be wonderful to
create opportunities for women bamboo artisans.

15. FUNDING EFFORTS FOR THE KATHIABABA CHARITABLE
MISSIONARY SCHOOL, KATLAMARA
• CREATE RESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR BAMBOO ARTISAN’S
CHILDREN
• FUND SCHOOL RESOURCE/ INFORMATION CENTER
1.CHALO FUND!

16. KCMS
FUNDING 1
STUDENT
SCHOLARSHIPS
POTENTIAL
BENEFICIARY
PROFILE
RAJU, 6 YRS
Who he is
• son of bamboo master craftsman: Brajendra Debbarma
• From Baklaibari, Western Tripura
• Would love to learn English, but does not have access from
his village which is 24 km away from the nearest English
School in Katlamara
• Has grown up around bamboo craft and happily assists his
father whenever help is requested
• His father would like him to study in English, so that he can
have a better future, but cannot afford to send him to English
school
His dreams
• Raju wants to follow his father’s footsteps to create beautiful
bamboo products
• Raju would love to own a computer and a mobile phone
• Loves bollywood films and reading, hopes to read English
books one day
DIF would ideally like to support 5 students of
craftspeople in and around Katlamara for a year.
Funding would allow for students to study in an
english medium school, provide for all hostel and
boarding facilities and allied costs for a year. The
school already provides free tuition for craftspeople’s
children, but hostel facilities will allow for children
from further on to benefit as well.
Rs 30,000
will allow students
like Raju to study in
English and stay in
the school facilities
to have exposure
and chance for a
better education

17. KCMS
FUNDING
FUNDING
METHODS AND
DISBERAL
DIF will create separate online crowdfunding
campaigns to raise the money required for the
Kathiababa Charitable Missionary School.
Moneis received will go to the Kathiababa
Charitable Society and will be deployed in the
following way
INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN 1
Funding for Ranjan Scholarship for
Craftsperson's’ children
INR 30,000/student/year
Benefits 5 students
Rs.1,50,000
will allow 5
students from
bamboo artisan’s
families to obtain
full residential
scholarship at the
Kathiababa
Charitable
Missionary
School in
Katlamara.

18. KCMS
FUNDING 2
STUDENT
RESOURCE AND
INFORMATION
CENTER
DIF also proposes to fund the creation of a student
resource and information center for the school which
would allow students to have access to better
information, stay updated with what is happening
outside of Katlamara, both domestically and
internationally. This would also serve as a internet
center for the village of Katlamara
Requirement Purpose Cost
School Resource
Centre
To create better
exposure for
students
Rs. 4,00,000
Resource Materials
for students
To make books,
cds etc available to
students
Rs 6,00,000
ICT training for
school teachers for
10 days
Capacity building
for short and long
term
Rs 1,00,000
TOTAL Rs 11,00,000
Rs 11,00,000
will allow 140
students annually
to have access to
a well equipped
resource and
information
center which will
also serve the
village at large,
thus benefitting
35,000

19. KCMS
FUNDING
FUNDING
METHODS AND
DISBERAL
DIF will create separate online crowdfunding
campaigns to raise the money required for the
Kathiababa Charitable Missionary School.
Moneis received will go to the Kathiababa
Charitable Society and will be deployed in the
following way
Rs 11,00,000
will allow 140
students annually
to have access to
a well equipped
resource and
information
center which will
also serve the
village at large,
thus benefitting
35,000
INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN 2
FUNDING FOR
RESOURCE/
INFORMATION CENTER
INR 10,00,000
Benefits 140
students annually
Benefits more than
35,000 villagers
ICT TEACHER
TRAINING
INR 1,00,000
Benefits 140
students annually

20. FUNDING TO PURCHASE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT TO
DEVELOP A DESIGN INCUBATION CENTER
• OBTAIN FUNDING FOR TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT TO DEVELOP A DESIGN INCUBATION
AND SKILL ENHANCEMENT CENTER FOR BAMBOO ARTISANS OF
KATLAMARAGENERATE FUNDS FOR ONE RESOURCE PERSON TO MAN THE CENTER
• FOSTER NETWORKING FOR MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE EXCHANGES
BETWEEN DESIGNERS AND BAMBOO ARTISANS
2.CHALO SOURCE!

21. EXHIBITION, CATALOG AND SALE OF LIMITED EDITION
BAMBOO PRODUCTS MADE IN KATLAMARA
• RANJAN’S KATLAMARA DESIGN PROTOTYPES TO BE USED IN AN EXHIBITION
• BAMBOO DESIGNERS WORKING WITH KATLAMARA ARTISANS TO BE INVITED TO CREATE
LIMITED EDITION DESIGNS SPECIALLY FOR THE KATLAMARA CHALO INITIATIVE
• CATALOG TO ENABLE PREBOOKING OF PRODUCTS ON INSTAGRAM AND PINTEREST
• PRODUCTS TO BE MADE BY KATLAMRA ARTISANS, AND PROCEEDS TO GO TO ARTISANS
3.CHALO CO-CREATE

22. DEVELOPING SALES AND MARKETING CHANNELS
• DEVELOP ONLINE SALES CHANNELS FOR KATLAMRA BAMBOO
ARTISANS
• FIND NEW OFFLINE SALES CHANNELS
• CREATE WEBSITE WITH ONLNE STORE
4.CHALO BUY

23. SPONSORSHIP FOR STUDENT FINAL YEAR PROJECTS
• SPONSOR FINAL YEAR PROJECTS AND FACILITATE STUDENTS TO FOR
DESIGN RESEARCH PROJECTS IN KATLAMARA
• FUND STUDENT PROJECTS TO DEVELOP NEW PRODUCTS FOR KATLAMARA
ARTISANS
5.CHALO SPONSOR

24. https://www.facebook.com/groups/difmakers/
Email: difmakers@gmail.com
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CHALO JOIN US!
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