Siddhartha Sharma

Building the Future of Conscious Commerce | Co-founder, RURALi | Handmade • Organic • Preservative-Free • Sustainable, Rural Management/Development Professional, Grassroots Enterprise Facilitator

Nainital, Uttarakhand, India

About

I work at the intersection of rural livelihoods, sustainability, and market-led entrepreneurship. I am the Co-founder of RURALi (Restoring Use of Rural Art & Life Initiative)—an upcoming e-commerce and aggregation platform focused on handmade, organic (preservative-free), and sustainable products sourced directly from artisans, SHGs, FPOs, and small rural producers across India. Through RURALi, we are building scalable market access for rural enterprises across: Rare and endangered Indian crafts Slow fashion and handcrafted accessories Organic, clean-label, preservative-free food products Sustainable gifting and lifestyle categories Knit Nest, presented by RURALi, is our slow fashion expression—focused on rare craft–led apparel and accessories, designed for contemporary Indian and global audiences while staying rooted in traditional skills. My work spans: Enterprise development for SHGs, federations, and FPOs Craft and product aggregation with strong provenance Market linkage for domestic and international buyers Building ethical, commercially viable rural value chains I strongly believe that rural enterprises don’t need charity—they need markets designed with dignity, quality, and long-term vision. Always open to conversations around: ✔ Sustainable & conscious commerce ✔ Rare craft revival and slow fashion ✔ Ethical sourcing & rural entrepreneurship ✔ CSR, impact partnerships & global collaborations

Experience

  • Co-Founder & Director at RURALi
    Oct 2023 - Present · 2 yrs 9 mos

  • Lead - Growth at Nav Gurukul Foundation
    Mar 2023 - Nov 2023 · 9 mos

  • Director - Training & Placements at Amrapali Group of Institutes, Haldwani
    Nov 2011 - Apr 2023 · 11 yrs 6 mos

    Training & Placements Teaching & Learning Academic Management

  • Assistant Professor at Amity University
    Dec 2010 - Oct 2011 · 11 mos

  • Founder and Program Director at Development Foundation Worldwide
    Sep 2008 - Dec 2010 · 2 yrs 4 mos