Earthen Urli Candle with Peony flower

Priya Jain

Priya Jain, a self-taught entrepreneur from Jammu's Talab Tillo, has made a name for herself in the world of customized handmade gifts and business products. With her expertise in craftwork, she established 'The Craft Station' in 2017, converting a room at her residence into a working place and developing a website to sell her products online. Her hard work and determination have paid off as she has now received orders from across Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the entire country, and even delivered products to Dubai and the United States of America.Diploma in Product DesigningAfter completing her diploma in product designing from the Indian Institute of Craft and Design (IICD) Jaipur, Rajasthan, Priya Jain decided to return home to Jammu to pursue her dream of creating something unique. She did not want to follow the conventional path of doing a routine job and instead wanted to start her own business. That's when she laid the foundation of 'The Craft Station' and began her journey as an entrepreneur.Covid19 and BusinessEven though the Covid19 situation had not started then in 2017, Priya's dream of establishing her own business became a reality with the establishment of The Craft Station. As the lockdown was imposed due to the spread of Covid19 in Jammu and Kashmir during the first wave, she did not let the situation hinder her business. She continued to work hard and gradually started receiving orders for her customized and business products from different locations across J&K as well as the country.Expertise in CraftworkPriya Jain's expertise in craftwork can be traced back to her childhood when she had a special interest in creating handmade gifts and products. In fact, when she was in class 7th, the J & K Government gave her a state award for her craftwork. Although she went to college and pursued higher studies, her passion for craftwork never waned.Self-Learning and TrainingPriya Jain did not take any training from any institute with regard to business products and customized handmade gifts. However, her passion for craftwork and self-learning has made her an expert in making craft-related products. In fact, she has trained 20 youth through online workshops, and two offline workshops are also being organized. Priya's vision is to empower unemployed youth with the skills needed to support themselves and their families.