Nand Kishore Chaudhary

Nand Kishore Chaudhary was born in a Marwari family in the Churu district of Rajasthan. Growing up as an introverted child and avid reader, he was influenced by the works of Gandhi and Tagore. He went to school in Churu and graduated from Government College in Lohia in 1973.

Nand Kishore was inspired by British researcher and designer Ilay Cooper to get into the business of carpet manufacture and design, and therefore help in the revival of this neglected art. Nand Kishore decided not to follow his father in their traditional family business of shoe-making, and even let go of a government job in a national bank. Instead, he went into the rug and carpet business. His venture started with a loan of 5000 rupees, that he borrowed from his father, and today that venture is known as Jaipur Rugs, an exemplary model of social entrepreneurship at its best.

N. K. Chaudhary established the social business model of Jaipur Rugs, connecting weavers with global markets by building a global supply chain focused on developing human capability and skills at the grassroots level. Jaipur Rugs provides a steady income for people living in the most rural parts of India by connecting them with markets across the world.

Nanda Kishore started a humble carpet business in 1978 with just two weaving-looms and 9 artisans. That has today transformed into Jaipur Rugs, which is a network of more than 40,000 artisans across 6 states in India and is one of India's leading manufacturer and exporter of hand woven rugs, bringing in an annual revenue of $18 million. Jaipur Rugs has become an ecosystem of companies and organizations, and the 40,000 weavers and their families are an integral part in this ecosystem.

Nanda Kishore is married to Sulochana. They have five children, Asha, Archana, Kavita, Yogesh and Nitesh, all of whom are involved in specific roles in the Jaipur Rugs Company.