KH Radharaman on taking his 600-year-old family history into weaving that modernises the sari

‘Top Notch’ is a fortnightly column where journalist and editor Namrata Zakaria introduces us to fashion’s elite and erudite club. *** Talking to KH Radharaman of Bangalore’s House of Angadi is like talking to someone 600 years old. There is something rare and otherworldly about his demeanor, a quiet elegance not seen in successful entrepreneurs. But Radharaman’s legacy clearly towers over his own six-feet-plus frame, turning him into a soft-spoken custodian of an ancient bequest. Radharaman hails from the Padmasaliya group of weavers who migrated six centuries ago from what was Warangal in the Vijayanagar empire’s Andhra Pradesh, to tiny little Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. “Migrations like these were common in ancient India, weaver migrations even happened from Gujarat to Andhra. My family became court weavers to various royal families, and they began to call it ‘angadi’, or shopkeeper. And that’s how we got our name,” smiles the 41-year-old. Today he runs three labels through various stores. The House of Angadi (sold via the Angadi Galleria and the lovingly restored Angadi Heritage in Bangalore) is 20 years old. In 2010, he launched Advaya, a specialty line of heirloom-quality saris (actor Deepika Padukone wore two kanjeevarams from Advaya for the wedding ceremonies in Lake Como, Italy, three years ago). And the newly launched Alamelu that takes textile to a global ready-to-wear audience. Even before he dressed up the platinum-club movie star, Radharaman’s Angadi enjoyed cult status. Friends say they visit the stores with an empty suitcase to fill to the brim with their shopping. Growing up, Radharaman says he was oblivious to his family’s legacy. “It’s also the immaturity of age, when you have something so priceless you don’t value it,” he says. He went on to pursue engineering at Cornell, but as soon as he graduated he took on his family’s enterprise. “I spent a summer with my grandfather who informed me of the family’s history in a rather candid manner, he wasn’t trying to recruit me. I thought no profession would give me as much joy as reclaiming what my ancestors had started. There was also the added value of social impact. We had built hospitals and schools, so the democratisation of wealth within the weaving community was very important to me,” he adds. Radharaman often refers to his father RK Raman. The Galleria store has photographs of him with Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, Pupul Jayakar and, of course, Indira Gandhi. He was among the first group of Indian nation-builders, determined to make Indian enterprises and institutions grand. “India is the largest and most diverse producer of textiles. It is our national heritage, just like our monuments are,” Radharaman avers. His father was among the founding members of the now defunct All India Handicrafts Board, and the Weavers’ Service Centres, among several other councils. “It’s funny because I only heard of my father’s work from other people, he was quite reticent like that. But I wonder how he would create modern integrated handloom facilities in villages that had no roads or electricity. One of the weavers’ centres was set up in his office, rent-free of course, as the government was on a shoe-string budget,” he laughs.

But Radharaman isn’t just an heir to a historical estate, he has also brought on amazing textile innovations that have modernised weaving entirely. Like the linen kanjeevaram sari, or the khadi kanjeevaram mix, or the khadua Benaresi georgette. “My philosophy with Advaya is to keep tradition alive within the language of modernity. Innovations in hand weaving is time consuming, it can take many years to bring to life. The linen kanjeevaram idea struck me two years before I had the prototype made. Innovation is not possible without artisan participation, and they need to be convinced they can do something new.” Radharaman says it was like teaching them a new language. Radharaman’s success also means he hasn’t yet bothered much with ecommerce. “We have done well in the brick-and-mortar format. The key for us here is that we offer you an experience at the stores. Secondly this product is such that it deserves to be seen and tried on. I’m not averse to ecommerce, and I know we will be going there soon. But in limits, for example with Advaya we also need to maintain secrecy to maintain our intellectual properties.” The Deepika saris, especially the burnt-red one with the gandaberunda, or two-headed mythical bird motif, she wore for the wedding is still wildly popular. “We still get orders for it, and you need to book it in advance. We sell about two pieces a month as it’s a laborious process and we make only limited pieces, so the exclusivity is preserved,” Radharaman offers. Radharaman, the businessman and Cornell-alumnus, is secretly a closet historian too. Culture is his constant inspiration. His Heritage store had Brinda Somayya restore the façade of the structure, and Abha Narain Lambah mix Italian travertine marble with Chettinad canopies and pillars, and Dravidian woodwork. “I’ve travelled to the remotest parts of the country and been inspired by the local stories and structures, and all aspects of our culture have informed my work. After all, our kanjeevarams and Benarasis are our living traditions,” he adds. Namrata Zakaria is a seasoned writer and editor, and a chronicler of social and cultural trends. Her first book, on late fashion designer Wendell Rodricks’ Moda Goa museum, is due to be published shortly. Zakaria is especially known for her insider’s take on fashion, luxury and social entrepreneurship in India. Her writing is appreciated for shaping opinions, busting myths, making reputations and sometimes breaking the odd career. Zakaria is also involved in putting together philanthropic efforts in the field of economic and environmental sustainability.