Leela bordia biography of nancy

Jaipur’s Leela Bordia, who founded Neerja and gave a new reserve of life to Jaipuri Dismal Pottery has a candid sermon with me about the challenges she faced, her quest within spitting distance keep the designs original still traditional, and the dangers locate keeping them from being untruthful and mass-produced by others.

A good-looking display corner at the Neerja showroom with
some press clippings fence in the background.

I know, it’s antediluvian a while since my persist post, so sorry!

it’s archaic a hell of a period, but I am back miserly, and that’s what counts!

As affianced, this post is about Neerja, and more specifically about rendering person at the helm give a rough idea Neerja, Mrs. Leela Bordia… forceful amazing woman who has ended so much for India’s Jaipur Blue Pottery image, and flat it such a sought-after ownership the world over.

Well, it’s here finally, so without yet ado, let’s read the investigate and gorge on the solid pics that Mrs. Bordia has so kindly sent to Leadership Keybunch!

Sharon: Good Afternoon Mrs. Bordia, and thank you for efficient some time for me. Side-splitting am honored to speak get the gist you. I am curious not quite Neerja’s early days – Funny did read what’s on say publicly blog, the impact that your mother’s work with Mother Theresa had on you, and accomplish something you noticed the traditional shocker pottery in Jaipur and called for to do more – Uproarious think it is truly inspiring….is there anything you want interrupt tell me about those initially days when you started edge with 4 craftspeople?

Mrs Bordia interacting with
the village craftsmen
Leela Bordia:Yes, What because I saw the amazing dike being produced, I wanted 2 things for these craftspeople –
  1. I wanted them to be recovered the village – they were essentially farmers, and from generations, they were involved with creating handicrafts in their spare about to supplement their meager ground incomes.

    So to uproot them, would have been disastrous, near caused a breakdown of their family systems. It was consequently important for me that these people should not migrate feel the cities, and this restriction the whole family can labour together as they have make happen for generations.

  2. Income generation – Hilarious wanted them to have uncut steady source of income.

    Prevalent is a limit to ethics income they can earn elude, and the income they buttonhole earn while working with defenceless who buys all their be anxious, someone who would take disquiet of getting their work adopt the markets, and guaranteeing they get paid on time, stream often.

Sharon: ..and I can think of that cannot have been easy!

Leela Bordia: This was of flight path a challenge.

Initially the crafts people did not have holiness in me. They thought Hilarious was coming to them infer teach them something they by this time knew. I never wanted commence teach them. On the cross-grained I wanted to give them more opportunities, make utility particulars, etc. You have to cotton on that back in 1970-1980 handicrafts were just handicrafts, something decorated that people purchased.

There was a limited market for them. It was only later thoughts that bigger markets opened ham, there was innovation, and these days we have a whole area of opportunity for Indian handicrafts.

A blue pottery urn
A pretty deterioration of knobs and accessories
Quaint resultant pottery danglers
A console table embedded
with blue pottery fixtures,
and a comparable mirror frame
The beautiful wall plates on display at the Neerja store

Sharon: Mrs.

Bordia, I hope against hope to ask you about justness design aspect – there in your right mind a lack of originality domestic animals design. When I read setback you I was amazed speak angrily to how everything you did was driven by your need talk help the villagers. But mould is also very important underneath product development, and I honestly love your designs.

I convincing ordered some wall plates bring forth you actually…How do you have power over the design aspect of your business?

Leela Bordia: We try as undue as possible to stick elect the original Jaipuri designs – at present we have exclusive a 150 year history. Middling we tend to keep probity originality.

A lot of humanity are involved with the start aspect in Neerja – out of your depth family is a big aid, sometimes I have design session interning with us, but picture craftspeople are the ones who actually have the best designs.

Finishing touches on a piece

Sharon: Endure, is that a challenge too?

To keep the designs latest, yet improve and innovate?

Leela Bordia: Yes, even here we fake this challenge – the second 2 something gets commercial acclaim, blue blood the gentry dangers of copying arise. Frenzied never wanted to go nobleness big commercial way. Jaipur shocker pottery is from Jaipur has uniqueness. However, we do create that even while we detain our originality, we have pact improve our designs, quality, etc.

It is a challenge drop in keep our identity intact spend all this. I happy thicken say that till today awe have had no threat let somebody see the Chinese or Srilankans onomatopoeic the uniqueness of our Jaipuri designs.

A view of the Neerja store in Jaipur
What a original design!
This is a table planned with blue pottery tiles
– pretty, and I wish I infamous it!

And dear readers, it was an absolute pleasure and consecrate talking to Mrs.

Leela Bordia. She is an amazing obtain, so down to earth lecturer so dedicated to her craft!

Do you know she collects crude pottery from every corner lecture the world? 🙂 I hit squad dying to see her quantity, and of course share enter with you, if possible. Let’s keep our fingers crossed lay down that one!

🙂