Starting Her Own Business At 89, Latika Chakravorty Is Proof That There Is No Expiry Date For Realizing Your Dreams
Close your eyes for a moment, and picture an 89-year-old woman. What does she look like? Slow? Weak? Forgetful?
Well, while this is the stereotype that is set around old age people, there is always that one person who is known to break the entire stereotype and rise above the rest. That one person who thinks out of the box, and takes possibilities to a whole new level. That one person who refuses to be denied by life. On these lines, we bring to you the story of Latika Chakravorty, a cute grandma, who went on to tear down the weakling image of old people.
Latika, who is 89 years old, hails from Assam and has lived across the nation owing to the nature of her husband’s job. While crisscrossing across different cities, Latika took an interest in collecting special fabrics. Over time, she collected several wonderful fabrics and sarees from all over the country.
Living in the middle of a world that believes in discarding anything that seems old or has become old, Latika opted to reuse the old fabrics that she’d collected. She started with sewing clothes for her children, and later dolls. Over time, she focused on using the fabric to create potli bags exclusively for her friends and family. When she began all this, little did she realize that it would eventually turn to become a business of its own.
Today, Latika runs an e-commerce venture that sells potli bags designed by her personally. And, she gets orders for her potli bags from around the world.
The Heart To Reuse
From a younger age, Latika had the habit of collecting older things with the aim of putting them to use again. What is tagged as “recycling” today was second nature for her. In her younger days, Latika practiced a lot of sewing, stitching, and knitting. And similar to several others who were born around the same time as her, she was very economical. Mother of three kids, Latika took to the art of making dolls when her kids grew older. Recently, when her daughter-in-law asked for a potli bag to go with her suit, Latika realized her talent in making bags.
For women coming from her generation, knowing how to stitch, sew, and knit are basic life skills. What made her stand apart was that she went on to make a career out of it.
Latika’s Bags Come To Life
After Latika started to make the cute bags, it began to gain the attention of her friends and family members. Soon, Latika started to make these bags for special occasions, like birthdays and anniversaries. What started as a mere gift to people took a different turn when she went to Germany.
He grandson, Joy, saw her working and came up with the idea of giving her an online presence. Taking the idea further, he worked on a website. Soon, her other grandchildren joined in to spread the word further on social media. With immense support from her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren, Latika never feels short of energy or encouragement.
Story Behind Every Fabric
When people look at older clothes, they think of it as a worn-out piece. However, Latika sees the glory and life it held at some point — a wedding attire or a festival gift. The bags that she creates out of them eventually reflect the memories that the fabric holds. This is all the more special, because Latika believes that turning a dress into a bag is nearly as good as reincarnation for the dress.
Although she turns any old saree into a potli bag, there are some sarees that she never turns into
bags. This is not as much for the beauty of the saree, as for the memories they bring to her.
It Is For The Heart
One thing that Latika constantly emphasizes is that her art is something she does for herself, and never to make money or as a business perspective. With every piece of cloth, Latika sees a wide spectrum of possibilities. There are no deadlines to tie her down. She creates the image of the end product in her mind and then procures the accessories accordingly to bring her mental image to life.
And, Her Best Companion?
Her 64-year old sewing machine is her favorite companion. Gifted by her husband in her prime, the machine is a constant reminder of his love and affection for her. Today, after 38 years of his passing, Latika is still reminded of him by the beloved machine.
Despite her age, Latika is out of bed every morning at 5, and spends about three hours in stitching and sometimes, writing. End of the day, it is about doing what she loves doing.
Now, is that not true for each of us? If everyone focused on following their heart’s calling and stopped worrying about what the world spoke, how beautiful would that be? Instead, we are too busy living up to our ego, jealousy, misery and other negative emotions. Doesn’t matter how old you are. If you want to start living your life to the fullest, it is never too late to start over again. And, Latika is a living testament to that. Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Banner Image Credits: Instagram
