Gandhi of the carpet industry

The Story of

Nand Kishore Chaudhary,

also known as NKC is one of India’s

pioneers in social entrepreneurship and currently serves as the

Chairman and Managing Director of Jaipur Rugs group.

His life

can be

divided

into four

phases

viz.

1

2

3

4

Finding himself(1953-1977)

A Learning Period

(1978- 1998)

Comeback and Boom

(1999-2010)

Growth continues

(2011 till date)

My father had a shoes retail outlet in Churu,

a small town of Rajasthan.

I did not see much scope for growth and

began looking for business ideas.

“

”

1

Finding himself(1953-1977)

Meanwhile he had made a friend Ilay Cooper, writer and

photographer, who published a story on his first carpet later on in

1980.So he played a key role in creating a twist in NKC’s story.

He got a

government

job in bank as

a Cashier and

refused to

join, shocking

everyone.

1978 - Started

with Rs 5,000

investment, two

carpet looms and

nine weavers

from untouchable

caste against

opposition of

family and

neighbors.

2

A Learning

Period(1978-1998)

Giving artisans

their due

Middlemen

exploited artisans by

not paying them

amounts

commensurate with

their work. NKC

dreamt to change

this scenario.

If my

weavers are

happy, they

will do good

work. Good

work is good

for business

““

Simple Philosophy

“

NKC forged a close relationship with weavers. He sat, talked with

them and built trust. And the first high quality carpet that was made

naturally impressed his bulk buyer.

MY JOB IS TO SEE

HAPPINESS ON THE

FACE

OF MY PEOPLE.

MY JOB IS TO SEE

HAPPINESS ON THE

FACE

OF MY PEOPLE.

After spending 13 years of

struggle, joy, celebration and

success in Gujarat, NKC

returned to Jaipur.

An independent firm, Jaipur

Carpets, came to existence in

1999.

He also got a firm registered in

USA, with the name Jaipur

Rugs Incorporated (JRI), a

sister concern now called

Jaipur Living Incorporated.

3

Comeback and

Boom(1999-2010)

Later in 2004, he established

Jaipur Rugs Foundation, which

works with artisans to not only

enhance their artisanal skills and

design sense, but help them to

become entrepreneurs

What JRF does- Entrepreneurship Development

(skill development, skill up-gradation and

grassroots entrepreneurship)

- Social Development (alternative

education, health camps, support in

availing government schemes etc)

And then began a series of awards and recognitions

Rajasthan State Award for Export Excellence 2003-04

Case study on Jaipur Rugs included in globally renowned

management Guru CK Prahalad’s, “The Fortune at the Bottom

of The Pyramid”

A Few Good Men- A story on NK Chaudhary & Jaipur Rugs

included in ‘Take Me Home’ a collection of inspiring stories of

entrepreneurs from Small Town India with Big Time Dreams

Forbes India carried his story in 2009, “The Magic Carpet”

Ernst & Young Award – Entrepreneur of the Year 2010

FICCI Social Responsibility Award 2010

PHD Chamber Distinguished Entrepreneurship Award 2010

AIMA Award for Creativity & Innovation for MSMEs 2011

4

Growth

Continues(2011 till date)

The Economic Times carried a story on NKC and Jaipur Rugs in 2012

Delivering TEDx Talk at IIM Ranchi

India Today Anniversary Issue - Leaders of Tomorrow

CNBC TV 18 Emerging India Award 2014

TOI – JP Morgan Social Impact Award 2014

MOU for Employment Creation, with Sh Narendra Modi (then Gujarat Chief Minister)

“Business is next to Love”

Talking with global leaders at Leaders Quest

AIF Excellence Award for Social Enterprise, 2016(Receiving award from Management Guru Jagdish Sheth on

behalf of American Indian Foundation)

Product range - Jaipur presents a selection of over 40 technical

variants of rugs, woven with the finest yarns, from across the world including silk, bamboo silk, wool, cotton, jute and hemp.

Jaipur Rugs

Today

Product range - Jaipur has also partnered with renowned

international designers to create fresh, innovative designs that are brought to life by our master artisans.

One DreamWhich gave birth to Jaipur Rugs with

TodayExports to more than 40 countries.

400 + employees l 40,000+ Artisans l 7000+ Looms

600+ Villages l 6 States of India

l 9 Artisans l 2 Looms

From poorest hands in villages to richest feet in metro cities of

USA, Europe and other countries, Jaipur Rugs is a bridge-

connecting villages to the world

Applying Spirituality at

Workplace

To me life is all about

the continuous search to find one’s

inner self by surrendering to a

purpose that’s bigger than one’s

own self. Through this process, one

can succeed in letting go of all of

the anxieties, fears and ego that

stop people from growing and

experiencing what is pure.

““

THE MORE

I LOSE MYSELF,

THE MORE

I FIND MYSELF

Life Philosophy

“

Family

Daughters (Asha, Archana & Kavita)

Sons (Yogesh & Nitesh) Wife (Sulochana)

NKC with

some of the

team members

of

Jaipur Rugs

Group

And the blessed journey continues

twitter: @NKC_JaipurRugs

www.nkchaudhary.com

facebook: nkcjaipurrugs

www.jaipurrugsco.com

THANK YOU

www.dramitnagpal.com

Storytelling by

www.alservices.in