Creating job opportunities for women this Diwali, Raqesh Bapat launches a sustainable festive collection

Pic Courtesy: Instagram

New Delhi: From cow dung dhoop cones to bottle cork T-lights, Raqesh Bapat has curated some of the best sustainable products for this Diwali for people who want to give back to the environment. 

Earlier this year, actor & keynote advocate of sustainable living, Raqesh Bapat introduced DIY kits to make your own Ganpati idol out of organic clay through his new entrepreneurial venture under the name “the Earth Canvas and Co”.

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This Diwali, the actor comes back with a bigger & better plan as he promotes sustainable products alongside creating opportunities for Women’s self-help groups, in & around his hometown, Pune. 

Currently shooting for his next, the actor launches a website curating some of the best environment-friendly products available at one stop, majorly produced out of industrial waste. 

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Raqesh shares, ' This is not some business model, but this is the product of my passion, equally supported by my family because I have a vision & I'm taking baby steps towards it. It is funny, the way we are living on this planet like we have another one to go to. What I've learnt in my quest to understand the idea of sustainability better is, that there is no such thing as Away, when we throw anything away, it has to & must go somewhere. You'll find dhoop cones made out of cow dung, festive lights for Diwali made out of bottle corks & such items of utility. The  response we got for the Ganpati DIY kits was an eye-opener that there are many out there who want to try & make a difference so we came together with something for Diwali as well.' 

Not just being kind towards the environment, but this idea has turned around the lives of many women, Raqesh shares, 'We aim to curate and create affordable as well as premium sustainable art & utility merchandise and  also create skilling & job opportunities for women through sustainable art by launching Skill development program for women from self-help groups near Pune to train them in creating weaves from agricultural & plastic waste that can be used for making artifacts & linked to market places, creating livelihoods.'