Some people may not be strong physically, but the confidence and determination they carry within themselves is unbelievable. Gunavathy Chandrashekharan, a brave-hearted woman was stricken by polio when she was just two years old. She couldn’t even walk a few steps without support. She was married off at the age of 16 because she was considered incapable. Determined to be financially independent, she ended up with Guna’s Quilling. She learnt how to turn scraps of paper into beautiful pieces of art. Today, under the brand Guna’s Quilling, she sells quilled artwork such as wall art, greeting cards, miniature figurines, jewellery and much more.
She founded Guna’s Quilling in 2013, showcasing the finest products of art, handmade by her, and other four women at exhibitions across India and earn around Rs 80,000 from every single stall.
“Despite my disability, I wanted to do something so that my two daughters would be proud of me. Now, I also have a son-in-law who is proud of my efforts.” Gunavathy says.
Gunavathy belongs to a family of doctors. But because of her disability she couldn’t continue her education after class 10. Despite these hurdles, she had a strong and optimistic personality and always wanted to do something meaningful with her life. She decided to learn quilling from lessons available on Youtube when her friend’s daughter presented her with earrings made of nothing but paper. But at first, it was just a hobby for Gunavathy. Later, she experimented with jewellery, wall art and many more skills. Gunavathy’s brother got her an order from one of his friends for 40 pieces of wall art. She worked day and night and his husband was always there to support her who has his own printing and binding unit and is the one who gave this beautiful name Guna’s Quilling to her trade.
With all the positive response from her first order, she decided to put up a stall at jute fair at Madurai. This was the turning point of her life. Sharing her experience, Gunavathy said,
“I was wearing handmade paper quilling jewellery at that time, and many people inquired about them. Another stall owner suggested that I meet an official from the handicrafts department and ask for an artisan ID. Among the many women who gave a demo to the official, I was the only one to receive an artisan ID on the spot.”
From 2014 onwards, Gunavathy started quilling and participating in different exhibitions. Her husband always remained beside her like the strongest pillar. He used to drive her to different exhibitions across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala so that she can showcase her products. She employed a couple of women from her husband’s unit and taught them the art of quilling. She herself used to quill for 18 hours a day and make a variety of products from jewellery, miniature art, wall art, paintings, fridge magnets, etc. Intricacy has always been the deciding factor for the product’s price. She apparently attends eight to ten exhibitions in an year.
Gunavathy says, “My main source of income is from the stalls where I exhibit my work. I get orders from there. At each stall, I earn around Rs 60,000–80,000. I buy the raw material from Bengaluru and some online stores.”
Still the only challenge she faced was marketing her products.
“I have to explain at length to people to convince them about the product, which is time consuming. A lot of people have told me to market my products online, but I haven’t been able to do it yet” she says.
Gunavathy has won District and State awards in the Art & Craft category. Quilling obviously needs hard work and concentration but Gunavathy never feels tired doing it. “For me, it’s a stress-buster,” she says. She visited many schools and colleges to give motivational speeches in Tamil Nadu. She also gave a motivational speech at Arvind Eye Hospital, Madurai. She is often spotted saying, “Women should understand that even with Rs. 10, they can start a business. The most important thing is to stand on one’s feet and be financially independent. “
Now, she is one of the members in Quilling Guild, UK. In July 2015, she was invited by the British Council to give a guest lecture regarding how she had grown as a successful entrepreneur within a short period. In the near future Gunavathy wants to open a store in a big city to promote her work.
“I’m glad that I understood disability should not be in the mind. With the support of my family, I’m happy to have come this far,” Gunavathy says.
Gunavathy is a living proof that no disabilities can stop you, if you are mentally determined. To be independent, to be yourself, to live the life you deserve, all you got to do is believe in yourself and work hard to reach your goal!
– Composed by Shreya Roy
