Breaking the barriers, she fights all odds!
She converts her weaknesses into strengths…
She is Ruma who is scripting a success story
Despite enjoying a strong client list of fashion designers including Anita Dongre, Abrahim Thakore, Bibi Russell and many renowned names from US, this renowned fashionista prefers wearing traditional Rajasthani skirts and has no hesitation in walking around with a veil.
Yes, we are talking of Ruma Devi who knows how to break the barriers when the barriers are tough to be broken.
She walks with confidence on stage in major fashion shows and steals the thunder. Her products steal the show in major exhibitions.
The best practice adopted by Ruma is that she has learnt the art to convert all her weaknesses into strengths. She gives little attention to odds and focusses more on creation which has transformed her destiny.
Despite being born in a financially weak family, she set her own fortunes by preferring to work hard. At her in-laws’ place, after being fed up of her day to day financial crisis, she created a group of 10 women and collected Rs 100 each from them to buy raw material to design hand embroidered bags.
“The bags came out beautiful and created a big demand. Then we formed more groups and sold them in nearby villages too and the result was fabulous,” she says.
She tried setting new traditions by using the art (embroidery) her grandmother taught her years back when she was a kid, says Ruma.
Her fame spread soon in and around and then Grameen Vikaas and Chetna Sansthan in Barmer made her its member in 2008. In 2010, she was appointed as the president of this organisation.
“Again we started to break the traditions. Hence we started participating in exhibitions where we started showcasing our work which created more demand for our products.
“Presently, 22,000 women work with us under different age groups including 17 to 70.
Sharing her struggle, she said, “I started working with a ghoonghat. We used to travel miles in veil, face hidden under our chunri. However, complaints started coming in as mistakes happened when we used to put a delicate stitch. At this point of time, my family permitted me to come out of ghoonghat and put a little veil on head. When I was permitted, my girls followed me and now ghoonghat is a bygone era from our lives.”
Now, Ruma, the woman of substance, has yet bigger plans to launch her own brand.
“Now, we shall launch our own brand soon. Presently, we are not working with big brands as they take money, credit and fame leaving a very little for our artisans who are real artists behind the beauty of design. Soon, we shall launch our own brand, she says adding “This will definitely encourage women to work hard,” Ruma adds.
Replying to a query on what made her set new traditions which were different from other designers, she says, “Our innovation and approach to experimentation made us different. We worked on every category of cloth be it saree, cushion or dupatta and Kurti etc. Also we were not hesitant to use tussel, silk, cotton etc which no one ever thought to use.
“This different work took us to other level. Now renowned fashion designers from across the world are visiting us in Barmer to brief us of their needs,” she says.
Ruma was recently awarded in TFI and was awarded with a Paris trip so that she can learn the best from the world”s most fashion-friendly city. However, this designer presently wants to get the best from rural rustic lanes of her home town which has brought her to this level.
“They are interested in sending me to Paris, however, I am still a student learning new heroes right in my home land. Still, have not rigidity and shall go there when my time schedule allows. Right now have much in my list to do, she says.
Due to her grit persistence and dedication for women empowerment, Ruma was also awarded with the biggest award for women, ‘Nari Shakti Award’ by President Ram Govind in 2018. This award has been bestowed on only 41 women of the nation till date.