Nita Ambani, founder and chairperson of Reliance Foundation, on Wednesday inaugurated Reliance Retail's first Swadesh store in Hyderabad. Located in the affluent suburban neighbourhood of Jubilee Hills area in Hyderabad, the store is spread across an area of 20,000 sq. ft. and will have a collection of entirely handmade products by India's skilled and talented artisans using long forgotten techniques and local materials.
Visitors will get to know about the different types of food products, clothing, handicrafts, and textiles across India. They will also be able to discover the story behind every product and the makers through a 'scan and know' feature.
Besides a special customisation service that helps customers collaborate with Swadesh to create unique products, the store also has a farm-to-table cafe for food lovers, according to a company release.
The Swadesh stores will also provide sustainable livelihood opportunities for artisans and craftspersons. "Swadesh aims to revolutionise the way India's age-old arts and crafts are perceived globally," the release further stated.
Key features of Swadesh's first standalone store
- Spread across an area of 20,000 sq ft
- Collection of products made entirely by hand
- These products have been made using long forgotten techniques and local materials
- Many varieties of food products, clothing, textiles and handicraft from several parts of India on display
- Scan and know feature to discover story and makers behind every product
- Customisation service for customers to collaborate with Swadesh team
- A cafeteria for food lovers modelled on the farm-to-table concept
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During the launch of the first standalone Swadesh store, Nita Ambani met former tennis doubles world number 1 Sania Mirza, Olympics champion PV Sindhu and Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu's wife and former actor Namrata Shirodkar among others.
Commenting on the launch of the first Swadesh store, Nita Ambani said that Reliance Retail will expand the Swadesh offering in international markets like the US and Europe as well so that Indian craftspersons get the recognition that they deserve.
She said, "Swadesh highlights the spirit of 'Make in India' and offers respect and sustenance to our skilled craftsmen and craftswomen. They are truly the pride of our country, and through Swadesh we hope to give them the global recognition that they richly deserve. That is why we are excited to expand Swadesh not just across India, but internationally, too, in the US and Europe."
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