Jaipur | Rajshree Upadhyaya | Rare Planet, which was founded with the aim of connecting India’s traditional handicrafts with the modern marketplace, has today emerged as one of the country’s most talked-about art and craft startups. The company is not only taking the products of Indian artisans to national and international markets but is also strengthening the livelihoods of thousands of rural families. After its appearance on Shark Tank India, Rare Planet gained nationwide recognition and its growth journey accelerated significantly. Today, its stores are present at several major airports and other premium locations across the country.
Rare Planet was founded in 2017 by Ranodeep Saha. While pursuing his engineering studies, he started hand-painting clay cups (kulhads) and selling them at local fairs and exhibitions to earn extra income. During this journey, he travelled through several rural regions of India, where he observed that highly skilled artisans created excellent products but lacked access to proper markets and recognition. This inspired him to build a platform that could connect Indian handicrafts directly with customers while ensuring better income opportunities for artisans.
Later, Vijay Kumar TR joined the mission. His extensive experience in airport retail and business development became a major strength for the company. Together, they developed Rare Planet into an organized brand. While Ranodeep focused on product development, design and building the artisan network, Vijay Kumar took charge of retail expansion, business partnerships and brand building. Their partnership laid the foundation for the company’s success.
Initially, the company was limited to hand-painted clay cups, but with growing customer demand, Rare Planet rapidly expanded its product portfolio. Today, the company offers thousands of designs across categories such as terracotta, ceramics, wood, metal, copper, home décor, pooja items, gift products, jewellery, stationery and lifestyle products. The company’s objective is not merely to sell products but to bring India’s traditional art and culture closer to modern consumers.
One of Rare Planet’s biggest strengths is its artisan-first business model. The company works directly with thousands of artisans across the country and supports them in design, quality improvement, packaging and marketing. This enables artisans to receive better value for their products while offering customers premium-quality Indian handicrafts. Along with its digital platform, the company has also rapidly strengthened its offline retail network.
Rare Planet gained its biggest national recognition through Shark Tank India Season 1. Ranodeep Saha and Vijay Kumar TR presented their business model, artisan-focused strategy and future growth plans before the investors. They sought Rs. 65 lakh in exchange for 1 percent equity. After negotiations, Namita Thapar invested Rs. 65 lakh for a 3 percent stake in the company. The investment not only provided capital but also significantly enhanced Rare Planet’s brand recognition. Following its appearance on Shark Tank, the company witnessed remarkable growth in sales, customer base and retail expansion. In the following years, Namita Thapar made a partial exit with nearly 3.5 times return on her investment, making Rare Planet one of the notable success stories from the show.
Today, Rare Planet sells its products through major airports, premium retail stores and online platforms across India. The company continues to expand into new cities while creating employment and better income opportunities for thousands of Indian artisans. The journey of Ranodeep Saha and Vijay Kumar TR demonstrates that when a simple idea is backed by the right vision, technology, strong business strategy and a meaningful social purpose, it can grow into a successful startup while giving global recognition to India’s traditional handicrafts.
