Aishwarya Gupta, Founder, House of Rugs
Aishwarya – a fourth generation entrepreneur in the family’s carpet business, is weaving a wealth of knowledge and experience into creating fine carpets. While preserving the ancient techniques of hand-woven carpets, her company also experiments with new designs to cater to the diverse needs of the hospitality industry, commercial and residential projects within India and worldwide.

Having grown up in the carpet world, it was a part of my childhood and gradually became my profession. For the past 38 years, my family has manufactured and exported carpets. My father introduced me to the carpet business in my college days. He used to take me to carpet fairs where I interacted with buyers and understood the nuances of the business. It was fascinating as well as a matter of pride that the carpets we produced in our hometown Bhadohi in UP had made the journey to far away shores and were decorating homes in so many countries.

During the lockdown, when people got into the frenzy of decorating their homes and making it a comfortable haven, I launched House of Rugs, my e-commerce venture to reach customers across India. As one of the very few women in this male-dominated industry, I feel privileged to create something that adds beauty and grace to homes, as well as provide sustenance to the weaver community, especially women, whom I encourage to enter the workforce.
I feel privileged to create something that adds beauty and grace to homes, as well as provide sustenance to the weaver community

Being the owner of my own venture, I’m lucky to be spared the challenges most women face in their work area. But I’m aware of the challenges, as the women who work with me in Bhadohi face them. Balancing work and family is no mean task. And I see them multi-task and do justice to all the roles they play. I believe this is a boon that we women have; we are able to take on multiple roles and still come out triumphant. Women should prioritise their dreams and passions as well and not just settle for traditional roles only.

I would advise would-be entrepreneurs to understand your field of work well, and direct your passion towards it, so that you enjoy your professional journey. Do all the groundwork diligently and be meticulous about every aspect of the business. If you lack experience in any area, take help from the right person.

House of Rugs