Hands up for handmade: How artisans can reach markets
Mala Dhawan interacting with an artisan
Rashmi Gopal Rao, Bengaluru
Published: May. 9, 2026 | Updated: Aug. 25, 2026
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When Sonia and Mala Dhawan, sisters from a fauji family, decided to help a women’s farmer group sell their products, they inadvertently set off a chain of events culminating in the formation of Bengaluru’s oldest handmade collective, A Hundred Hands (AHH), in August 2010. Started with just 20 artisans, their collective grew and grew and now supports 200 artisan groups every year.
Back in 2000, Sonia and Mala had offered their own garden space so that the women’s farmer group could sell food products to urban consumers living around their home.
“We made handmade posters and placed them in nearby shops, announcing the sale. The response was truly overwhelming and the products were sold out in a day. We then started getting approached by individual artists and groups who were looking for a platform to market and sell their products,” says Mala, 59, who holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Incidentally, she has extensive experience in the field of brand strategy. Sonia, who is 62, has a PhD in human genetics and is trained as a naturalist.
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