The first lockdown, in 2020, proved to be a tipping point for Alankrutha Chandra and Meher Gundavarum, techies working in Chicago, USA. They returned to India and took up farming in Meher’s native town, Warangal, in Telangana. “Food, shelter and clothing are the basic necessities and we are trying, one step at a time, to lead a planet-friendly lifestyle,” says Meher. Their nascent clothing label named Elephant in You, the produce that grows on their chemical-free farm, and a farm stay that is being set up are all a step in that direction.
The couple was in Hyderabad recently for the monthly Biodegradable Santha at the Crafts Council of Telangana premises. On view were some of their ready-to-wear collection in unbleached organic cotton, linen and hemp fabrics that used natural dyes. All this is a progression of the plastic-free lifestyle they had followed for a few years, says Alankrutha.
