Kirat Brahma, a resident of Rangapani village in Baksa, Bodoland (Assam), began an initiative with hopes of preserving his cultural heritage. In the year 2021, he laid the foundation of Jankala Studio, where he makes handmade toys with a group of talented artists.
Guwahati: Young children are fond of cartoon characters like Spiderman, Barbie doll, SpongeBob, and Doraemon. A team of artists from Assam decided to harness the love for toys of animated characters and use them for educational purposes. They have elevated the concept of dolls with an aim to educate children about cultural heritage.
Kirat Brahma, a resident of Rangapani village in Baksa, Bodoland (Assam), earned his degree in animation designing from NID, Ahmedabad, and returned to his village with hopes of preserving his cultural heritage. In the year 2021, he laid the foundation of Jankala Studio, where he makes handmade toys with a group of talented artists.
A sustainable business
Kirat Brahma creates toys using traditional fabrics and designs, enabling children to learn about their authentic culture. He shares an example that he makes figures of personalities like Birsa Munda with an aim to expand students’ knowledge about the local tribal culture. Presently, he is working with the Bodo tribe, combining cultural preservation with innovation. Furthermore, Kirat shares that he is providing employment opportunities while fostering a balance between tradition and progress.
For a better future generation
Kirat Brahma has been working on this project for 5 to 6 months. He works with a team of 12 to 15 people and provides them financial support. The focus remains on continuous learning, with a unique approach to disseminating knowledge about the lesser-known Bodo culture.
He believes that it is easier to spread knowledge through social media nowadays, but his ultimate aim is to deliver cultural knowledge through active learning with these toys. This initiative ensures that information about the characters and the associated cultural aspects is effectively given to people.
The inspiration
Kirat Brahma studied Art Design and Animation at NID, Ahmedabad. While most people look for high-paying jobs after completing their degrees, Kirat decided to return to his village and empower his local culture. Initially, he had launched a small company, but could not run it successfully due to financial constraints.
He returned to his village and found a remote job at a US company. This mode of work allowed him to engage with creative projects and he managed to give a kickstart to his new ambitions.
Launching the business
Kirat was juggling with several projects for financial sustenance in the year 2021. Gradually when his initiative gained recognition among the locals, and several graduate students expressed their desire to join the initiative, Kirat looked at it as a great opportunity to gain the exposure. This collective effort is a prime example of showing one’s love for their tribal culture. There were plans to launch the studio in November, however, in an exhibition in January, he garnered support from local people, who expressed their surprise and delight at the cultural representation through the toys.
Expanding the business
Kirat Brahma’s business picked up the pace, and orders started coming in within 5 to 6 months of launch. Today, retailers and small businesses express their interest in their products, and an online website has also been launched. Kirat had initiated this venture without any external funding, and invested Rs 2 lakh from his own savings. Today, he receives orders from various places including Goa, Delhi, and other states. He shares that there are plans of expanding the business to foreign markets as well.
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