Erwin Fonseca
MAPUSA: For most engineering graduates, the natural progression after earning a professional degree is to pursue a well-paying corporate job and build a secure career. Prachi Vinay Joshi from Mapusa could have done the same. Instead, she chose a path few would dare to take.
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Leaving behind a conventional career that promised financial security and starting afresh in an unconventional field is no easy task, particularly for a young woman. But Prachi’s determination to pursue something creative gave her the confidence to follow her passion, laying the foundation for a career that is both fulfilling and inspiring.
An Electronics and Communication Engineering graduate, Prachi has carved a niche for herself by creating handcrafted products from wood and pebbles. Through social media, her creations now reach customers across the country.
Prachi never imagined life would take such an unexpected turn.
After graduating, she began looking for a corporate job like many of her peers. However, a simple incident during the renovation of her family home led her down an entirely different path.
According to Prachi, the idea was born while renovating the house.
“A few years ago, we decided to renovate our house. Most people would have thrown away the old rafters and beams, burnt them or sold them. Instead, we chose to upcycle and reuse them in a better way. We collected all the discarded wood and began experimenting with treating and painting it. We also used some old pebbles, and the results were simply mind-boggling,” she said.
Looking back, Prachi says creativity had always been a part of her personality.
She was drawn to art, colours and design from childhood. However, believing at the time that a career in art offered limited opportunities, she chose to study engineering instead.
Today, having established herself in this unique art form, Prachi says every product she creates is customised, which constantly motivates her to innovate and improve.
She named her venture Innori Craft, reflecting her belief that Indian women possess immense talent and can build their own identity through determination, creativity and hard work.
“For Indian women, the sky is the limit. Under this blue sky, there are countless opportunities to create your own identity. However, many young girls prefer conventional and mainstream jobs instead of accepting challenges and giving a boost to their inner talent. We Indian women can achieve a lot because we have endless opportunities to innovate,” said Prachi.
The work itself is anything but easy.
Upcycling wood, processing it, washing pebbles and transforming them into handcrafted products is a labour-intensive, time-consuming and highly manual process. Yet, with the unwavering support of her family, Prachi reveals she enjoys every moment of it.
“We have collaborated with architects who provide us with discarded wood from their projects. They, too, have realised the importance of being environmentally friendly and reducing waste. Whenever necessary, we procure additional fresh wood. Pebbles are generally easy to source, though at times we also have to purchase them,” she said.
Every pebble used by Innori Craft is thoroughly washed before being carefully hand-painted with meticulous attention to detail. The wood undergoes a similarly painstaking process before being transformed into handcrafted creations.
Her product range includes key holders, fridge magnets, candle holders, pen stands, photo holders, keychains and handcrafted nameplates. Beyond home décor, she also creates decorative pieces for hotels, restaurants and other commercial establishments.
Dreaming of becoming a trendsetter, Prachi says she is proud to have chosen a profession that has always been her true passion. She also hopes her venture will one day generate employment opportunities for women in need and grow into a large enterprise.
Though she has established herself as an artist, Prachi credits much of her inspiration to her father, a retired art teacher.
“My dad has been my biggest inspiration since childhood. He loved working with colours and creating designs, and his artistic spirit had a profound influence on me. It shaped my outlook and, in many ways, my journey in life. Although I tried to pursue a different career, destiny brought me back under his guidance, giving me the opportunity to take his art to greater heights,” she said.
Believing that no creative profession should ever be looked down upon, Prachi has a simple message for today’s youth: remain patient, work hard and persevere in pursuing your passion. According to her, no one knows where an unconventional path may lead, and those willing to embrace unique and challenging professions may one day become trendsetters whose work earns recognition on a much larger scale.
