Pune: Ex-Armyman Starts Venture To Make Akash Kandils To Beat Chinese Dominance
Yerwada, 12th January 2022: When Havildar Samir Tamboli left the Indian Army in 2016, he had little idea of what he would do in the civil world. After all, he had served in the Armored Corps for over twenty years and tanks and the army were his life.
He took his first tentative steps in the outside world, worked in the corporate sector for four years with great success. And then the Coronavirus disease (COVID19) pandemic struck and like thousands of others he was locked up at home.
As he pondered as to what he would do next, a turning moment arrived. He had gone to buy lanterns and Kandils for his home and discovered that virtually everyone had a ‘Made in China’ stamp on it. Those were the days when Chinese actions in Ladakh and Galwan were ongoing and he decided that rather than buy a Chinese product, he would make his own.
Using scrap paper and sourcing out designs, he created a series of Akash Kandils – the decorative lanterns made of paper and cloth. He used his wife’s expertise in craft to cut and design them. The designs were of different shapes, sizes and unique in their own way – but one thing was common. Not a single component was from China or anywhere else. Each item was indigenously made and crafted in India and prepared by ex-servicemen and their families.
As word of his Akash Kandils spread, he hired other ex-servicemen and their families to meet the growing demand. He stored and displayed them in his own Store – The Tamboli Supermarket near Yerwada Fire Station and began supplying to individuals, Army and Civil establishments.
Watch story of Samir Tamboli here
As he put it, “What began as a hobby, is now a full-fledged business. And what pleases me is that it has helped wean people away from Chinese products to our own. Our products are better, cheaper and proudly, ‘Made in India’.”
It is the efforts of entrepreneurs like Samir that are pushing Chinese products off the shelves and replacing them with Indian ones.
(You can contact Havildar Samir Tamboli at 9604600967 or at [email protected])
Join Punekar News Whatsapp Group, Telegram, Instagram And Twitter For Regular Update about Pune City And Pimpri-Chinchwad
