Apparel Training & Design CentreIndia’s Largest Vocational Training Provider for the Apparel Industry

National Head OfficePlot. No. 50, Paridhan Vikas Bhawan

Institutional Area - Sector 44, Gurgaon - 122003, Haryana

Website: www.atdcindia.co.in I Email: info@atdcindia.co.in I Ph: 0124-4659501 I Fax: 0124-4659516

Hunar ka Safar: A special SMART NewZine publication I n s p I r I n g s u c c e s s s t o r I e s f r o m A t D c ’ s s k I l l j o u r n e y

hu

na

r k

a s

af

ar

p.04 Messages

p.12 Foreword

Success Stories

p.14 Short-termp.26 Long-term P 38 Entrepreneurs p.44 Sponsoredp.52 GenNext p.58 Global Stepsp.59 Born Tough p.60 Case Studies p.64 Impact Study p.66 When Skills Meet Reality

3

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES Contents

Honorary Managing Editor:Sh. Hari Kapoor, Vice-Chairman, ATDC

Chief Editor:Dr. Darlie O. Koshy,DG & CEO, ATDC & IAM

Editor:Ms. Aanchal Prabhakar Jagga

Content and Design: IANS Consultancy(www.iansconsultancy.com)

Hunar ka Safar: A special SMART NewZine publication

All rights reserved. Contents may be reproduced only with prior permission.

Feedback/ suggestion/ articles/ advertisements may be sent to: smartnewzine@atdcindia.co.in

Cover Design: IANS TeamContributors: ATDC Field and state-level teams

UNION MINISTER OF TEXTILES,GOVERNMENT OF INDIA,NEW DELHI

The Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) of Government of India is one of mostsignificant initiatives taken in recent years in line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister's Mission ofimparting skills to 500 million youth by 2022 when India turns 75.

I have always advocated the need for providing adequate vocational skills to our youth andwomen, which will certainly accelerate our economy in all respects apart from improvingquality of lives.

Without proper skills suitable for employment, the country cannot progress. The textile-apparel industry provides the largest employment potential to our people after agriculture.

Nearly 100 million people are involved in the value chain either directly or indirectly. Goingforward with the current level of growth curve, both the export and domestic textile-apparelindustries will have a bright future with huge job potential.It is appropriate that ATDC, which has been a Nodal Agency under the Ministry of Textiles forimplementation of the ISDS scheme, has taken pioneering efforts by setting up about 190centres across India to train the youth and women under the MOT’s ISD Scheme.

ATDC has achieved a milestone by crossing 100,000 youth trained in the Pilot Project periodwith a further target of 150,000 candidates during the rest of 12"‘ FYP. The Government of Indiahas extended substantial financial assistance to achieve the above training target as part of theMOT’s ambitious target of training 1.5 million people in the textile-apparel value chain.

‘Hunar ki Hunkar' captures the journey of ATDC towards skilling in the apparel sector and theemployment linkages created especially for youth and women.

I appreciate and congratulate the ATDC team for having conceptualised such an event thatfocuses on the people and their skills.

I wish this endeavour every success!

54

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

DR. KAVURU SAMBASIVA RAO

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES,GOVERNMENT OF INDIANEW DELHI

The Ministry of Textiles has laid special emphasis on improvement of technology throughTUFF Scheme and training in skills for youth and women with the help of Integrated SkillDevelopment Scheme (ISDS).

The Apparel Training & Design Centre (ATDC) focused on apparel sector as a Nodal Agencyunder Component – 1, has done yeomen service by training 100,000 candidates in the PilotProject period, setting up a wide network of state-of-the-art training centres. The ATDC hascreated an effective model for training through updated infrastructure, mobilisation ofcandidates from rural areas and training of trainers through the 3 TOT Academies in north,south and central India.

The ‘Hunar ki Hunkar’ as I understand is a collective display and exhibition of the skill trainingfacets and the industry linkages developed over the past 2-3 years so that the next phase ofdevelopment can be initiated.

SMT. PANABAAKA LAKSHMI

76

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

SECRETARY, TEXTILES,GOVERNMENT OF INDIA,NEW DELHI

The Ministry of Textiles (MOT) has set a target to train 1.5 million people during the 12"‘FYP. Theoutlay for the 12"‘ FYP has been pegged at Rs. 19.5 billion. It is heartening that ATDC which wasentrusted the task of a Nodal Agency under Component-1 has taken earnest steps in creating anew skill training brand ‘SMART’ (Skills for Manufacturing of Apparel through Research &Training), thus altering positively the perception of the desirous youth towards this sector andattracting the youth and women in large numbers under the Integrated Skill DevelopmentScheme (ISDS) to join the industry.

I appreciate and congratulate the team for having achieved the landmark of training 100,000youth and women during the Pilot Project Period and the Ministry has already approvedfurther assistance to ATDC for training of additional 150,000 candidates cumulatively 250,000candidates by the end of 12*“ FYP.

‘HunarkiHunkar’ is a timely initiative to bring together the skills, achievements and facets oftraining, and industry linkages to the forefront. One of the most interesting aspects is thatATDC has been collaborating with many organisations and state governments for dovetailingof funds apart from mobilisation of candidates. I have visited ATDC centres and the state-of-the-art technology provided for training and the commitment and devotion of the staff arelaudable.

I take this opportunity to congratulate the whole team, especially the field team in havingworked hard to train 100,000 people during the pilot project while gearing up for completingthe ambitious target of 250,000 by the end of the 12th FYP.

I wish the endeavour ‘Hunar ki Hunkar’ the very best and hope this confluence of skills,training, technology and employment linkages through the apparel industry will grow fromstrength to strength in the times to come.

MS. ZOHRA CHATTERJI

CHAIRMAN, AEPC, ATDC & IAM

Apparel Training & Design Centre (ATDC) is an industry initiative since 1996 for meetingrequirements for manufacturing personnel mainly for apparel export industries. With the initiationof Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) in October 2010, the ATDC underwent a majortransformation with the help of MOT and AEPC and ATDC remain grateful to the Ministry forproviding substantial assistance for taking up the project as a Nodal Agency.

Since then, the ATDC has systematically worked towards developing training infrastructure, havingset up about 190 centres across India with State-of-the-Art infrastructure and also developingquality trainers.

Another key contribution also came in the form of developing Contemporary Curricula for over 29trade courses along with Director General of Employment & Training (DGE&T) & National Councilfor Vocational Training (NCVT) for certification requirements. Having achieved the milestone oftraining 100,000 candidates in the Pilot Project and even exceeding the target set by the Ministry,it’s certainly a time for celebration for the whole ‘TEAM’.

‘Hunar ki Hunkar’ is a key platform created for the youth of India which needs to get vocationaltraining to become productive, where skills, employers, training providers and other stakeholdersconverge. The ATDC is playing a key role by training the youth and women in equipping them forrapidly modernizing apparel industry. At the time when the industry was facing acute shortage, therapid expansion of ATDC across country helped the industry to tide over the crisis. Now, theindustry is on a growth curve and in this context the approval of 12th Five Year Plan (FYP) proposalof ATDC by the Government of India providing financial support for an additional target of 150,000candidates (cumulatively 250,000 till end of 12th FYP) will provide a fillip to the entire apparelsector.

The ‘Hunar ki Hunkar’ has components of Exhibition, Display, Skill Competitions, Rozgar Mela andrelease of ‘Hunar ka Safar’ – Success Stories of ATDC students portraying ATDC’s Unique SellingProposition (USP) of ‘Imparting Skills, Improving Lives’, and above all bringing the team of ATDCtogether for making a ‘collective impact’ going forward.

I wish this important event success and also the Annual Principals Meet following the same,productive deliberations and conclusions. Also congratulations again for exceeding the target setby MOT by crossing the landmark of training 100,000 candidates during the pilot project period!

SRI VIRENDER UPPAL

9

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

8

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

VICE CHAIRMAN, APPAREL TRAINING & DESIGN CENTRE

India faces the tremendous challenge of providing "employable skills" through vocationaltraining programs that too if possible through short duration training programmes of two tothree months duration to earn respectable wages.

The apparel sector offers tremendous opportunity in the next 10-12 years with considerablegrowth in both exports and domestic industry to add about 12-15 million people or more to theworkforce and to various tiers of manufacturing including about 1.5 to two million people insupervisory and managerial positions, thus bringing opportunities to thousands of youth andwomen, especially from disadvantaged sections of society.

As the second-largest provider of direct and indirect employment after agriculture with about10 Cr. people involved in textile — apparel value chain, apparel industry has become a keyfocus area. It is for this reason that the Ministry of Textiles, GOI had selected ATDC asComponent-I organisation to implement the Integrated Skill Development Scheme as a NodalAgency, and ATDC took up this challenge and exceeded the yearly targets so far cumulativelytraining about 100,000 candidates during the Pilot Project period.

ATDC centres are now spread across the length and breadth of India from Imphal (in Manipur)to Churu (in Rajasthan) and from Thiruvanthapuram (in Kerala) to Chhindwara (MP) withabout 190 centres providing vocational skills to desirous candidates and bridging the gapbetween the rising manpower demand for skilled workforce for the garment industry and theemployment and livelihood needs of youth and women folks in the country. Apparel traininghas the power and potential to uplift the weaker and disadvantaged sections of the society byproviding gainful employment including wage & self- employment, in this labour intensivePan-India industry.

'Hunar ki Hunkar' has been conceived as a convergence of skills, employers, trainingproviders, corporates, NGOs and other stakeholders will witness showcasing of ATDCs skilljourney so far. '

Hunar ki Hunkar' makes an effort to create an impact to different target groups and policymakers by showcasing a range of skills/activities/achievements under the ISDS of MOT, GOI,and also the long-term training programmes linked to DGET/ NCVT etc. while projecting howthe lives of over 100,000 people have changed for the better.

SRI HARI KAPOOR

JOINT SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TEXTILES,GOVERNMENT OF INDIA,NEW DELHI

ATDC is a leading training institution in the implementation of the Integrated SkillDevelopment Scheme of the Ministry of Textiles. Being a pan-India training organisation witha network of 190 centres in 23 states and 85 cities, the ATDC has widespread infrastructure fortraining and for rapid mobilisation of trainees.

The contribution of ATDC in the training for apparel sector is remarkable. It has trained about100,000 youth so far in a systematic way, having developed appropriate modules andassessment systems, and has successfully offered placements to a majority of them.

The ‘Hunar ki Hunkar’ initiative of ATDC to project the collective impact of its efforts and alsolaunch a special issue ‘Hunar ka Safar’ showcasing select success stories and case studies aretimely steps and will go a long way in spreading awareness and interest about this rapidlygrowing sector with huge employment potential it offers among the target audience.

I congratulate the ATDC team and wish the launch of ‘Hunar ki Hunkar’ outstanding success toencourage and motivate the whole team further.

MS. PUSHPA SUBRAHMANYAM

11

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

10

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

DG & CEO, ATDC & IAM

Acquiring specific employable skills has become in today’s context, an essential prerequisite forbecoming a winner in life or a successful employee or entrepreneur. Even more important in the‘digital age’ as knowledge is available on click of a mouse and even on a mobile at the ‘sweep’ of afinger.

However, skill requires to be demonstrated if it has to have any validity whether it is physical skillsor creative skills or numerous other types of skills. Since hundreds of years sewing and embroideryhave been close to a woman’s repertoire of skills. A sewing machine is indeed a “friend in need” for awoman and a family.

The sewing machine has been used by woman and by many others in the household for not onlymaking dresses but also to ensure earning a livelihood when faced with life’s adversities.

For a country of India’s size with such a huge youth and women population providing‘demonstrable’ and ‘employable skills’ has become critically important. Textile and Apparel Sectorsbeing spread far and wide in the country not only provide wage and self-employment to millions ofpeople but has the capacity to transform rural economy if properly linked.

Take the example of ‘Hindupur’ in Anantpur District in Andhra Pradesh not very far from theKarnataka border and about 100 kilometres away from Bengaluru International Airport.

Hindupur is one of the drought prone areas with scarce rainfall and nearly 83 percent of thepopulation being poor. Of late, leading garment exporters are setting up manufacturing units andeven apparel park in the area generating huge employment potential for the poverty-stricken youthand women. This provides a ray of hope as already one leading garment exporter has generatedover 5000 jobs and the garment exporters now setting up units in this area can provide another20,000-25,000 jobs to the surrounding 80 villages in the near future adding 5,000 people everyyear incrementally.

The setting up of ATDC in such a rural location provides the training infrastructure contributing tothe cause of providing skills to the needy and linking them to productive employment near theirhabitat. ATDC through its vocational skill training programmes and soft skill development hasensured development of thousands of ‘winners’ and ‘achievers’.

The implementation of Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) by ATDC in the last three yearsbrought over 100,000 men and women under the intensive rapid training programmes and the

DR. DARLIE O. KOSHY‘story of clarion call of skills’ ‘Hunar ki Hunkar’ represent this saga. The women who assembledfor training in ATDC at Hindupur recently when asked about their knowledge of sewingmachines or embroidery skills did raise their hands indicating that large cross-sections of ourpopulation in the country have already rudimentary skills in some measure in their DNA andneed to be up-skilled in the industrial work culture in high speed machines or in makingquality ‘make through’ garments to make them enter a new phase as an employee or a micro-entrepreneur leading to economic empowerment.

In addition, the entire Indian fashion industry depends on ‘Karigari’ of various kinds ofhandicrafts, needle-crafts etc. The range of embroideries available in India is a huge strengthfor the country with aari, phulkari, kantha, zardozi and several such needle-crafts helping invalue addition. These have become languishing crafts and require re-skilling and new skillingof our rural population. In the last three years over 20,000 people have been trained by ATDC,in such ‘Karigari’. ‘Hunar’ or ‘Skill’ word was never discussed with any sign of reverence justfive years ago but now is a major policy intervention for economic development and socialtransformation.

If we can empower the people, especially women and youth, through skills, the country can beput on the path of progress. When we look at the vocational courses there are many optionsfor boys and men ranging from JCB training, electricians, mechanics and several other tradesbut when it comes to women though they are eligible for the above trades also, effectivelythere are only 2-3 options including apparel, beauty, hospitality etc. Apparel making is not onlyone of the most important tools for empowering women but also for the whole family in agegroup of 18-45 who can get wage employment with 45 days – 60 days after training inmanufacturing of apparel, or value addition techniques.

ATDC is often not understood by the stakeholders as a ‘whole’ and I have seen people in alocation knowing only about ATDC in Okhla or ATDC-Chhindwara etc. They fail to understandand appreciate the massive scale of operations of running around 190 centres on a pan-Indiabasis and training every month about 5,000 people in the short-term courses and 10,000-12,000 people in long-term courses per annum. I have seen in many newspaper articles andcoverage of certain spokespersons for skills who have not even undertaken skilling of peoplebeyond few hundreds thus missing out on the big ‘story’ of ATDC’s yeomen contribution andthe role apparel industry plays.

The ATDC is the single largest vocational training provider for the apparel sector in thecountry and probably the single largest training provider for any vocational trade in India andthe single largest beneficiary or Nodal Agency for implementation of a Government’s SkillDevelopment scheme. This story of transformation has to be told.

The 'Hunar ki Hunkar' first edition in Gurgaon brings together the people involved to celebratethe skills in the apparel industry which has the potential to ignite 'creativity' and 'improve thelives' of millions of people. The special issue of NewZine in the form of 'Hunar ki Safar' is aneffort to place the 'man' or 'woman' behind the sewing machine as the central piece of thisendeavour.

13

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

We are all familiar with the numbers. How the governmenthas set itself a target of skilling 500 million people — almosthalf the nation’s population — by 2020.

ATDC, the premier skilling Institute for the apparel sector,has already skilled 100,000 people in the pilot projectperiod of ISDS, MOT, GoI and cumulatively over 1,57,000since inception in 1996.

ATDC has set itself a target of skilling 1,50,000 candidatesmore by 2017.

These numbers are important — as achievements or targets— for the national Skill Mission.

But these numbers do not tell you the stories — the humanstories — that lie hidden behind them. Stories that revealhow skilling has transformed lives; how it has lifted entirefamilies — even communities — out of degrading poverty.How it has sparked hope in the despairing, encouraged thedespondent and provided opportunities to the deserving.

In ‘Hunar ka Safar’ we celebrate these stories, these lives. Here you will meet Heena Qureshi, who grew up in aramshackle home with no electricity, running water orother basic amenities – and who had the responsibility oftaking care of ailing parents. This spunky girl fromRajasthan’s Bhilwara district did not let adversity deter her.

An inspired decision to join ATDC was the game-changerfor her. She learnt sewing and embroidery. She has notlooked back. “I have started taking tailoring orders andhave has also joined ATDC-SMART project as a guestfaculty,” says Heena, who now earns Rs 15,000 a month andis studying to get herself a degree.

Then there is Ashwini of Bangalore, the daughter of adriver, who had almost given up on an education becauseher father could not afford to give her one. Then, ATDChappened. “The best thing about ATDC is that it not onlyprovides you the right training but also helps you gainconfidence,” says Ashwini. Today, she is helping the familyfinancially — but she is already looking beyond. She nowdreams of encouraging more girls like her join the dots,shun their fears and be part of the emerging new skillscape.

These are stories of just two of our heroes — or heroines —people who have not only fought against severe odds buthave left an indelible mark on their families andcommunities.

And we at ATDC take pride in having been the catalyst thathelped transform their lives.

12

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

How skills transform livesforeword

Story to TellName: Heena QureshiAge: 28Course: SMART Operator (Basic)Employer: Self employed

Against All Odds

Sometimes, taking a calculated risk can pay off. As it did forthis girl from Bhilwara who dared to dream

Heena Qureshi grew up in a ramshackle home in Rajasthan’s Bhilwaradistrict with no electricity, running water or other basic amenities.Her parents were ailing, and an elder brother bore the burden of taking

care of the entire family. Young Heena wanted so much to contribute, tochip in and help her brother to get her family out of extreme poverty. Only,she did not know how.That’s when a friend told Heena about an ATDC-SMART Skill Camp at

the nearby Shahpura village. She took no time in deciding to join theSMART Operator (Basic) course. Among other things, she receivedtraining in sewing, embroidery and personality development.It was a decision she does not rue. “When you take risks, you know that

there will be times when you succeed and times when you fail. I was notafraid of taking risks. I had a dream of helping my family out of poverty,”recalls Heena, now 28.ATDC set her off on the path to success. “After completing the course, I

started taking tailoring orders and soon also joined ATDC-SMART projectas a guest faculty,” says Heena proudly. Today, she earns over Rs 15,000 a month, and is also studying for a

graduate degree.“Had it not been ATDC, I would have had a lost adulthood. The skill

provider has helped me discover the true meaning of life,” says Heena.This is what ATDC does: helping people on the margins to fulfil their

dreams.

“HAD IT NOT BEENATDC, I WOULDHAVE HAD A LOSTADULTHOOD. THESKILL PROVIDERHAS HELPED MEDISCOVER THETRUE MEANINGOF LIFE”

ATDC JaipurFAST-

TRACK

15

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

14

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

from the

heart

Story to TellName: Tamil SelvanAge: 23Course: Pattern Cutting Master (PCM) Employer: Self employed

Designing for Tamil Films!

Learn from Tamil Selvan how an unfulfilled dream can pave the way for another to come true

Ambition is the path to success, persistence is the vehicle you travel in.Tamil Selvan, 23, nurtured a dream when he turned 18 — to become a

pilot. His father — a tailor — could not afford to send him for pilot training,even though he sincerely wished to do so. Worse, Selvan had to abandonstudies after class 11 and do odd jobs like a help at a fast food joint andthen as an apprentice at a welder’s place.No regrets then, no regrets now. “Life can take surprising turns for

anyone. What if my family was poverty-stricken, somewhere deep downthere was an ambition to rise,” stresses Tamil.Then he came to know about ATDC. He enrolled for the six-months

Pattern Cutting Master (PCM) course at ATDC Chennai (Guindy). Althoughhe had it in his blood — tailoring was his family profession since hisgrandfather’s time — it was at ATDC that he learned the finer points ofcutting and stitching.He was especially happy to see how youth like him from the weaker

sections of society could easily get state-of-the-art training and be ready tojoin the industry. “The faculty at ATDC boosted my self-confidence andhelped in empowering me socially and economically,” says Tamil.“The course gave me a lot of confidence and opened new vistas of

opportunities for me,” he adds. While pursuing the course, Tamil got anopportunity to work with a designer boutique as an assistant designer.After some time, he decided to start his own boutique, and now he can

afford to employ half a dozen assistants at his shop. All this would nothave been possible without ATDC, he says.“I could not even imagine in those days that I would come this far so

quickly,” says an overwhelmed Tamil. He says he would encourage otheryoung people to join ATDC to make a career in the apparel and textileindustry.Today, he is doing quite well for himself and his family; financial

constraints are things of the past. What’s more, he has got a chance todesign costumes for Tamil movies! A dream to touch the skies hasculminated in him standing firmly on the ground. ATDC has woven yet another success story.

“ATDC GAVE METHE PLATFORMFROM WHERE MYCAREER TOOKOFF. I CAN SAYTHAT I OWE ALLMY SUCCESS TOATDC”

ATDC Chennai

FAST- TRACK

17

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

16

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

from the

heart

ATDC Faridabad

FAST- TRACK

Story to TellName: BhanuAge: 28Course: SMART Sewing Operator (Basic)Employer: Pee Empro Exports, Faridabad

Defeating Disability

By training differently-abled Bhanu, ATDC has embarked on its journey to skill people with disabilities pan-India

Meeting this 28-year-old differently-abled woman from Faridabad canleave you speechless. She fearlessly breaks barriers in a world that doeslittle for people with disabilities. Not that she expects the world to do anything for her. “One has to have a

positive attitude and make the best of the situation one finds oneself in; ifone is physically disabled, one cannot afford to be psychologicallydisabled as well,” says Bhanu, who gives credit to her mother-in-law Arunafor making her a stronger, more determined and independent woman –and also for introducing her to ATDC.For the rest, the credit goes to ATDC.Aruna did the initial research and encouraged her to sign up for the

SMART Sewing Operator (Basic) course at ATDC Faridabad. Aftersuccessfully completing the course, Bhanu got a job with Pee EmproExports in Faridabad where her work is being highly appreciated by themanagement.“I never thought I would get this far in life. But look at me now. ATDC and

my family have helped me make my life a worthy one,” says an ecstaticBhanu. “After the ATDC-SMART course, Bhanu is not only much moreconfident, but also achieved great professionalism,” adds Aruna.Now, she plays the roles of a mother, a wife and a daughter-in-law with

perfection. Her 5-year-old daughter studies in a reputed school inFaridabad and she not only supports her family financially but is alsoactively taking part in daily chores. “Being deaf does not hold you back. It is simply about finding a way to

achieve whatever it is you want in life. ATDC helped me achieve my goal,”notes Bhanu.With her, ATDC added another feather to its cap — to skill people with

disabilities. For, the skill provider believes in this old adage: “When you focus on someone’s disability you will overlook their

abilities, beauty and uniqueness. Once you learn to accept and love themfor who they are, you subconsciously learn to love yourselfunconditionally.”

“BEING DEAFDOES NOT HOLDYOU BACK. IT ISSIMPLY ABOUTFINDING A WAYTO ACHIEVEWHATEVER IT ISYOU WANT INLIFE. ATDCHELPED MEACHIEVE MYGOAL”

19

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

18

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

from the

heart

ATDC TumkurFAST-

TRACK

Story to TellName: Roopavthi M.S.Age: 28Course: SMART Operator (Basic)Employer: Shahi Exports, Tumkur

Sewing Dreams

If you care about what you do and work hard at it, there is littleyou cannot achieve. That sums up Roopvathi’s story

A vocational skill can make a huge difference in life. This is true in thecase of Roopvathi M.S., who was born into a family of farmers anddiscontinued her studies in class 8 due to financial constraints.Somehow she was always interested in the apparel sector, but did not

know where to start. That’s when she was pointed in the direction ofATDC.She joined ATDC Tumkur for the SMART Operator (Basic) course, with

support from the National Backward Classes Finance & DevelopmentCorporation (NBCFDC). There, her basic sewing skills were sharpenedthanks to state-of-the-art machines and a trained faculty.“ATDC taught me that success is to be measured not so much by the

position that one has reached in life but by the obstacles we overcome intrying to succeed,” says Roopvathi, now 28.After her course, she joined Shahi Exports, where she is currently a

supervisor at a salary of Rs 6,500 per month.She credits ATDC for becoming a guiding light in her life. “ATDC not only

trained me in basic sewing skills but also made me much more confidentin life,” she says.Roopvathi’s story is not unique. There are many like her who have gone

through the ATDC skilling experience and can share similar stories.

“THE TRAININGAT ATDC MADEME LEARN THATSUCCESS IS TO BEMEASURED NOTSO MUCH BY THEPOSITION THATONE HASREACHED IN LIFEAS BY THEOBSTACLESWHICH HE HASOVERCOMEWHILE TRYING TOSUCCEED”

21

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

20

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

from the

heart

Story to TellName: Ashwini S.Age: 20Course: Two-months SMART tailor-customised programmeEmployer: Local apparel manufacturing unit in Adugodi

Gaining Confidence

Working with a local garment unit, Ashwini wants to see moregirls from poor backgrounds join the mainstream via ATDC

Some people are born tough. Throw an obstacle in their path, and theygrow stronger. Ashwini S. is one such person. Born in a family of five — withfather working as a driver and mother performing her duties as ahousewife — one could connect to the ambitious Ashwini’s mind withoutdifficulties.The parents were already burdened after “allowing” two daughters to

pursue studies. But despite the odds, Ashwini was determined to breakthe shackles. It was not that easy for her, though.“Because of financial constraints, once I even planned to call it quits and

discontinue studies,” she reveals. Had it not been her friends whoinformed her about the skill bandwagon that ATDC has brought next door,her life would have had been different today — sitting idle at home andcursing herself.A visit to ATDC Audogodi came next.Impressed, she got enrolled in the two-month SMART tailor-customised

course. The sponsorship came from the state’s Department of Industriesand Commerce (DIC). “In a short span of time, I learned tailoring work,embroidery and fabric painting, apart from personality development andgaining self-confidence,” she adds.ATDC-SMART became her guiding light, with its state-of-the-art

machines, job-oriented curricula and a vibrant teaching atmosphere. Thetraining bore fruit. She is now working as a star tailor with a local garmentfactory.“The best thing about ATDC is that it not only provides you the right

training but also helps you gain confidence — which is necessary to stay inthe race,” explains Ashwini. Her parents are happy that their youngest daughter has started helping

the family. Their youngest daughter has another dream now: To see moregirls like her join the dots, shun their fears and be part of the emerging newskillscape.

“IN A SHORT SPANOF TIME, ILEARNED AT ATDCTAILORING WORK,EMBROIDERY ANDFABRIC PAINTING,APART FROMPERSONALITYDEVELOPMENTAND GAININGSELF-CONFIDENCE”

ATDC Bangalore

FAST- TRACK

21

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

22

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

from the

heart

ATDC TumkurFAST-

TRACK

Story to TellName: RudranammaAge: 25Course: SMART Sewing Operator (Basic)Employer: Shahi Exports, Tumkur

Walking the Skill Path

When all the doors were closed, ATDC opened a new gateway for Rudranamma

It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond alldoubt.With this thought, this strong lady took on all the challenges in life even

as she performed her duties as a housewife. Her’s could have been just another unremarkable life. But then ATDC

happened, and her fortunes turned.But how?“When someone is in despair, it means that he/she still believes in

something,” preaches a wise Rudranamma. It could be the Almighty, aperson, or it could even be an institution.In between chalking out monthly budgets and trying to strike a balance,

she, at times, felt this is not going to work for her; she had a dream ofbecoming independent and helping her family.ATDC helped Rudranamma discover her innate talent. The ATDC-

SMART Operator (Basic) course came as a boon. Thanks to the dovetailingsponsorship by the National Backward Castes Finance & DevelopmentCorporation (NBCFDC), Rudranamma joined ATDC Tumkur.“Initially, I was a bit worried about how I would be treated as I don't have

practical or technical knowledge. Slowly, I gained confidence,” she says.After successfully completing the course, and equipping herself with

the requisite skills, the 25-year-old got a golden opportunity to work withShahi Exports in Tumkur as an operator.“I could never think that one day I would begin a career in the apparel

sector. ATDC has transformed my life completely. Now, I am anindependent woman,” she says happily.Rudranamma adds: “The ATDC experience has taught me one thing:

Whatever happens in your life, no matter how troubling things mightseem, do not enter the neighbourhood of despair. Even when all doorsremain closed, God will open up a new path only for you.”This is the path that ATDC has opened up for many women like

Rudranamma.

“I COULD HAVEHAD NEVERIMAGINED THATONE DAY, I WOULDBEGIN A CAREERIN THE APPARELSECTOR. ATDC HASTRANSFORMEDMY LIFECOMPLETELY.NOW I AM ANINDEPENDENTWOMAN”

25

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

24

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

from the

heart

Story to TellName:M. Mohamed FarookAge: 27Course: Apparel Manufacturing Technology (AMT)Employer: Vijay Garments Pvt Ltd

Chasing Down Dreams

ATDC’s well-designed long-term courses help you achieve clarity of thought and provide longevity in your career

Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.M. Mohamed Farook lived these words, literally. His family runs a

tailoring business which is being taken care of by his parents and twobrothers. Farook, however, had bigger dreams to chase. He realised soonthat although the apparel industry was growing like never before, onemust be skilled to get a rightful place in it. Farook had no time to waste.He joined two-year Apparel Manufacturing Technology (AMT) course. The course provided him exhaustive knowledge of the production

processes like quality, machinery, what sort of materials are to be used,types of fabrics in demand, machinery, etc. “It was an amazing experience going through training phases like

production planning and control, time study procedure and workmeasurement techniques, etc,” recalls Farook.Today, he is working with Vijay Garments Pvt. Ltd. as senior industrial

engineer on a decent package. “ATDC inculcated in me the desired skills tochase down my dream,” he says.ATDC has taken timely steps to launch long-term courses to help the

apparel exporters with an industry-ready workforce. “The well designedlong-term courses can help one get clarity of thought and providelongevity in your career,” a smiling Farook adds.Note down the solid advise of a man who is among the few riding the

apparel skill train.

“IT WAS ANAMAZINGEXPERIENCEGOING THROUGHTRAINING PHASESLIKE PRODUCTIONPLANNING ANDCONTROL, TIME STUDYPROCEDURE ANDWORKMEASUREMENTTECHNIQUES, ETC.,AT ATDC”

from the

heart

ATDC ChennaiLONG- TERM

27

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

26

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Story to TellName:Manti DasAge: 25Course: Advance Diploma in Apparel ManufacturingEmployer: Arvind Ltd, Bangalore

Symbol of Courage

Right guidance from ATDC has helped Manti Das enter the apparel sector with a bang

Manti Das lives by her own motto. Success is not final, failure is not fatal: itis the courage to continue that counts. And courage is what some are bornwith, while others gather from their surroundings. Manti, a girl from amiddle-class family in West Bengal, had little to do after earning abachelor’s degree from a reputed university. The jobs were there, but notto her satisfaction. Her aim was to acquire skill-sets that would take herahead in life; a simple, clerical job was not her cup of tea.After much deliberation, she enrolled for an Advance Diploma in the

Apparel Manufacturing Technology (AMT) programme at ATDC Kolkata.The very first few days at ATDC cleared any misgivings she may have had;she was sure she had made a right choice. The market-oriented curricula,state-of-the-art infrastructure, trained faculty and a friendly atmosphereinculcated a sense of security in her. And the programme opened newvistas for Manti.She was sent to Arvind Ltd — one of the largest integrated textile and

branded apparel players — by ATDC for an internship programme. For 25-year-old Manti, this was the opportunity she had been waiting for. Herexcellent performance resulted in a job offer from Arvind Ltd.“I am indebted to ATDC to a great extent. The technical and practical

knowledge about the apparel and textile sector boosted my confidence,”she reveals. “It’s true that hard work pays, but the right guidance is equallyimportant.” Manti also gives credit for her success to her parents whoalways motivated her.Currently, Manti is working as a lab technician in the quality department

of Arvind Ltd on a handsome package. She can't forget the day when shedecided to join ATDC. “I encourage friends and other girls from my area tolook at ATDC courses as they plan their career.”Manti has come a long way. The road ahead is full of hope.

“I OWE MY SUCCESSTO ATDC TO AGREAT EXTENT.THE TECHNICALAND PRACTICALKNOWLEDGEABOUT THEAPPAREL ANDTEXTILE SECTORBOOSTED MYCONFIDENCE”

from the

heart

ATDC KolkataLONG- TERM

29

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

28

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Story to TellName:Vijendra RekwalAge: 30Course: Apparel Pattern Making (APM); Apparel Manufacturing Technology (AMT)Employer: Vasu Clothing, Indore

Miracles Do Happen

The skilling experience at ATDC helped Vijendra Rekwal overcome obstacles with a resilient spirit

Despair is cruel, especially when there is no scope, or hope, of getting overit. Living in a small village in Devas district in Madhya Pradesh, VijenderRekwal was getting restless. A poor family background and countless darknights of hopelessness — there was no sign of any miracle in his life.Then a miracle happened. “My elder brother got a job with the Madhya

Pradesh Electricity Board and went to Indore on a posting. I requestedhim to take me along as I was dying in my village almost every day,”recalls Vijender. “I wanted to start a career in the apparel sector but wasnot getting an opportunity anywhere. I didn’t know how and where tostart,” adds the 30-year-old.The son of a labourer, Vijender moved to Indore after completing his

10+2. Once here, his restlessness remained. “I didn’t know what to do. Mybrother suggested several things, but I was not sure,” he says.He came across an ATDC advertisement in a newspaper, spoke to his

brother and enrolled in the Apparel Pattern Making (APM) course. Eventhen, he was not sure how things would pan out.Slowly, he was drawn in by the modern teaching methods amidst a

world-class atmosphere. The course provided him the practical know-how to work in the apparel industry. Once done, he was employed byVasu Clothings Pvt. Ltd. So far so good. But Vijender didn’t want to stopthere. “What I learnt during my first ATDC course fueled a quest in me toexplore broader horizons,” says Vijender, full of energy.He further enrolled for a one-year diploma in Apparel Manufacturing

Technology (AMT). By the time he completed this course, his salaryreached Rs 16,000 per month. Vijender is now working as a cutting masterin the same apparel firm. “I always wanted to be an entrepreneur. Now,after ATDC’s training, my career is heading in the right direction,” he saysproudly. In between, Vijender got married and now lives happily with hiswife and two children.The struggle is not over yet. The fear – of those countless dark nights –

has, however, been replaced by a newly-acquired confidence.Another miracle has happened.

“WHAT I LEARNTIN MY FIRST ATDCCOURSE FUELED AQUEST IN ME TOEXPLOREBROADERHORIZONS. IALWAYS WANTEDTO BE ANENTREPRENEUR.NOW, AFTER ATDCTRAINING, MYCAREER ISHEADING IN THERIGHT DIRECTION”

from the

heart

ATDC IndoreLONG- TERM

31

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

30

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Story to TellName: Lordsun Sivakumar S.Age: 30Course: Apparel Manufacturing TechnologyEmployer: Dream Zone Pvt. Ltd.

Nurturing Talent

Lordsun Sivakumar S. is a known name in the fashion industry.Dig a bit deep and you’ll find the ATDC stamp on him

Chennai-based designer Lordsun Sivakumar S. has a respectable list ofachievements against his name. He has his name in the Limca Book ofRecords for executing a non-stop fashion show in Chennai, with 73sequences and more than 450 garments.“I always wanted to become a designer. But I lacked formal training or

technical experience,” says the humble Lordson as he looks back. His grooming began when he enrolled for the Apparel Manufacturing

Technology (AMT) course at ATDC Chennai (Guindy) .After the training, sponsored by the National Scheduled Castes Finance

& Development Corporation (NSCFDC), there was a lot to look ahead forLordsun.“I got the required technical know-how. In the world outside, it helped

me coordinate better with tailors to make haute couture garments,” headds. Eventually, he entered the apparel industry. The talented Lordsun,

armed with ATDC-imparted skill, was flooded with job opportunities. Today, after 10 years in the market, he has carved a niche for himself in

the fashion industry. Lordsun has worked with known brands like Diesel,Lee, Wrangler, Oxbow and S-Oliver. The 30-year-old is regularly invited as a guest faculty by various fashion

institutes. His designs were also appreciated by Bollywood designerAshley Rebello, Miss India Niharika Singh and Miss India World SindhuraGadde recently. Currently, Lordsun is working with Dream Zone Pvt. Ltd. as a product

manager. It is one of Asia’s top CAD (Computer Aided Design) companyand has training centres in more than 13 countries.“I believe in one thing: People rarely succeed unless they have fun in

what they are doing,” reveals Lordsun. “The identity I have today is all because of the time I spent at the skill

breeding ground that is ATDC,” he quips. Who won’t feel proud being the mentor of such talent?

“I WANTED TO DOIT, AND HAD ANINCLINATION FORFASHION, IT BUTDIDN’T KNOWHOW SHOULD I GOAHEAD. MYTRAINING ATATDC GAVE METHE TECHNICALKNOW-HOWAND ANUNDERSTANDINGOF THE APPARELSECTOR.”

from the

heart

ATDC ChennaiLONG- TERM

33

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

32

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Story to TellName: Rajeev KumarAge: 33Course: Apparel Production Supervision & QualityControl ( PSQC); Apparel Merchandising (AM)Employer: Raymond’s

In the Right Lane

The amazing story of a driver’s son who battled the odds to get on to the fast lane to success

It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop. The storyof a driver’s son from Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh has reached theyouth of the area and awoken their interest in making a career in theapparel sector. And why not? For it was the struggle of one man that madethe lives of his children.Rajeev Kumar’s father always ensured his children received a proper

education. “I always thought I need to do something by which I couldmake my parents proud and also contribute towards providing bettereducation to my siblings,” recalls Rajeev. “My father toiled for years toraise money for our education, which made me even more determined todo well,” he says.Then came one happy moment. Rajeev joined a fashion and

technology college. “Join to kar liya, but I realised soon that the spark wasmissing; there was no practical knowledge,” he adds. He felt there was aneed to explore other options for career enhancement. He got to knowabout ATDC through his college faculty and friends. Rajeev, along with 18friends, initially got enrolled in ATDC’s Apparel Production Supervisionand Quality Control (Apparel PSQC) course. Later, he pursued anothercourse in apparel merchandising — again from ATDC. On the completionof both courses, Rajeev got an opportunity to work as Quality Auditorwith Bangalore-based Karle International Exports. After gaining six-month experience, he received another job offer from Hyderabad’sWelspun Ltd. The salary was Rs 6,000 per month.In December 2013, Rajeev joined Raymonds as Area Manager for

Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka on a monthly remuneration of Rs 50,000— an eightfold growth in as many years. Rajeev took the responsibility ofhis sister’s marriage. She is now staying happily in Hong Kong with herhusband and kids. He is also funding his younger brother’s education,who is pursuing an MTech. Rajeev is enjoying a stable life with his wifeand six-month-old son. He credits the ATDC faculty for proper careerguidance. “It’s important that the training you undergo gives you an extraedge, right exposure and practical knowledge,” he stresses.ATDC has helped many chart a new path on the road to success, but for

someone like Rajeev, whose father spent his life on the road, the journeyhas a different meaning. It is now time to press the accelerator and head for his destination.

“IT’S IMPORTANTTHAT THETRAINING YOUUNDERGO GIVESYOU AN EXTRAEDGE, RIGHTEXPOSURE ANDPRACTICALKNOWLEDGE.ATDC DID THATFOR ME”

ATDC HyderabadLONG-TERM

from the

heart

35

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

34

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Story to TellName: Satyaranjan PrustyAge: 25Course: Apparel Manufacturing Technology (AMT)Employer: TUV Rheinland (Textile Division)

360° Transformation

An ‘average student’ from a poor family to a confident customercare executive, Satyaranjan Prusty has come a long way

In a remote village in east Odisha, how many windows of opportunitiescan a youngster —who has just completed his higher secondary — avail isanybody’s guess. There is not much to do — especially for those who don’thave any landholdings.Satyaranjan Prusty comes from such a background. After completing

his 10+2, he started searching for employment as a bachelor’s degree wasa luxury his family could not afford. “I thought now that I have studied tillclass 12, I should learn some skill to get employment. My elder brotherswere running a small tailor shop. I decided to go for skills in the apparelsector,” he discloses.Stayaranjan enrolled for the Apparel Manufacturing Training (AMT)

course at the ATDC Bhubaneswar centre. No money to pay for his fee, hisbrothers came to the rescue and funded his course. Prusty, 25, completedthe ATDC course in 2008 and started his career at Alok Industries.Later, he moved to TUV as an operator in lab management system.After gaining adequate work experience, Prusty is now working with

TUV Rheinland (Textile Division) as a customer care executive at a salaryof Rs 17,500 per month. From an “average student” in a poor family “whorarely talked” to becoming a confident customer care executive, there hasbeen a 360° transformation in Prusty’s life.Prusty credits the ATDC course for bringing financial stability in his life

and for a respectable job.“I can’t thank ATDC enough for bringing such a positive change in my

life. Today, I am earning money and respect, far away from where I used tobe,” he says with a delight.His smile can't be traded for words. A smile that ATDC wants every un-

employed youth from the disadvantaged sections to wear.

“I CAN’T THANKATDC ENOUGHFOR BRINGINGSUCH A POSITIVECHANGE IN MYLIFE. TODAY, I AMEARNING MONEYAND RESPECT,FAR AWAY FROMWHERE I USED TO BE”

37

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

36

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

ATDC Bhubaneshwar

LONG- TERM

from the

heart

Story to TellName: Chintan B MakwanaAge: 24Course: Apparel PatternMaking (APM)Employer: Self-employed

Story to TellName: Bhargav K. JoshiAge: 23Course: Apparel Pattern Making (APM)Employer: Self-employed

Skill as a Catalyst

Training at ATDC Surat awakened the entrepreneur in Chintan;today, he is successfully running his own business

The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it and exploitsit as an opportunity. None better than Chintan B Makwana from the diamond city of Surat in

Gujarat illustrates the truth of these lines. “I was not a novice when it cameto garments. The city’s fabric lets you imbibe the feel about apparel and al-lied sectors associated with it,” says Chintan. Living in a modest atmos-phere with parents, two brothers and two sisters, Chintan always dreamedof establishing his base in Gujarat. “I knew if I could upskill the skill sets that I already had, I could not only

meet the industry requirements but go beyond and begin my own busi-ness,” he discloses. Two years ago, he got himself enrolled in the two-yearApparel Pattern Making (APM) course at ATDC Surat.The state-of-the-art infrastructure and a well-trained faculty helped him

groom his personality as an entrepreneur. In the first place, Chintan learnthow to efficiently deal with customers and with karigaars. After completing the course, he joined D.R. Garments India Pvt Ltd at

Porbandar to gain first-hand knowledge about the industry.But the entrepreneur inside him became restless. Soon, he joined a

friend trained at ATDC Surat — Bharghav (read his story next) — to starttheir own business unit. “We began on a low note. We were slow butsteady in approach,” stresses 24-year-old Chintan. Today, they manufac-ture unique anarkali designs for the domestic market.“I have a base in Gujarat now. I have a shop that is doing good and our

customers are satisfied with us. I owe it completely to ATDC,” he adds.

Darkness to Light

ATDC helped Bharghav K Joshi inculcate perseverance for a better future

Bharghav K. Joshi fumbles as he speaks, also pauses a lot – searching for the right words sothat he communicates exactly what he wants to. But like a true entrepreneur, once he getsgoing, there is no stopping Bharghav. “It was not a easy battle juggling between an emptypocket and fighting the odds like a warrior to help my family,” affirms Bharghav, 23. Bhargava’s search for a right skill provider ended when a friend told him about ATDC.“The course I chose was two-year, long-term Apparel Pattern Making (APM) one as I was

more interested in being a player in the apparel manufacturing industry,” reveals Bharghav.Once out, he was a different man altogether. With Chintan, the duo’s perseverance and

determination soon made an impact in the market. It's been a great journey for Bharghav. And it is not going to stop.

“ATDC WORKEDAS A CATALYSTFOR ME. THE FACULTYUNDERSTOOD MYFEARS AND GAVE ME SOUNDADVISE. EVENTODAY,WHENEVER I FACEANY PROBLEM ATWORK, I CONTACTTHEM”

ATDC Surat

ENTREPRENEURS

from the

heart

39

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

38

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

4140

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Story to TellName: Raj BahalAge: 35Course: Apparel Manufacturing Technology(AMT)Employer: Self-employed

The Game Changer

Entrepreneur Raj Bahal provides a fascinating example of how dreams can be nurtured and given direction at ATDC

For some, poverty can be the greatest motivating factor in life.Once thrown out by the family for not being able to earn a living in spite

of being a graduate, he now runs a successful venture in Jaipur. This “ragsto riches” tale does not end here. The story of Raj Bahal, a Rajasthan Uni-versity graduate and an ATDC student, has much more. His apparel firm isone of the largest embroidery fabricators in the city. Raj is dealing withover 200 garment exporters for machine embroidery.The annual turnover? Over Rs 2 crore! But this tale of stupendous success was achieved through sheer deter-

mination and hard work. After being unemployed for some five years, Rajwas nowhere near a job. One day, his father told him to leave if he couldn’tfind a job to support the family. But some people are made of steel; thereperseverance levels are way too high. “I came to know about ATDC and decided to join the Apparel Manufac-

turing Technology (AMT) course to upgrade my skills in a field I had someinterest in,” he says. It was a game-changing decision. After completion ofthe course, he worked for about three years in the garment industry at ameagre salary of Rs. 3,000 in the Pink City. But he was yet to achieve hisbest. “I took a loan of Rs 25,000 from a college friend and took a plunge. Ibegan my own embroidery unit named Rupal Fashions in Jaipur just fiveyears back,” Raj discloses. The rest is history.Recently, he installed 50 SNLS (single needle lock-stitch machine) ma-

chines to set-up a shirt-manufacturing unit. His message to the youth whowant to make a successful career in the apparel sector: Don’t run awayfrom hard work and dedication, but choose your skill provider well.“ATDC is the best skill provider for the rapidly-growing apparel exports

and domestic sectors. If you want to upgrade technical and practical skills,this is the place to be,” stresses Raj as he gets busy with shop-floor workersat his unit. This obscurity-to-fame inspirational story in Rajasthan is aneye opener for all those belonging to the marginalised strata of our soci-ety, minorities, differently-abled or living in a state of abject poverty.If you have a dream, ATDC is here to nurture that dream irrespective of

class, creed or religion. The ATDC’s skilling stream is so fascinating thatonce it begins, it percolates to the last man standing in the queue. Andwho better than Raj can understand the joy of fulfilling dreams of somany such people in his unit?

“ATDC IS THE BESTSKILL PROVIDERFOR THE RAPIDLYGROWINGAPPARELEXPORTS ANDDOMESTICSECTORS. IF YOU WANT TOUPGRADETECHNICAL ANDPRACTICALSKILLS, THIS ISTHE PLACE TO BE”

ATDC Jaipur

ENTREPRENEURS

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

from the

heart

4342

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Designer’s Quest

A search for technical knowledge brought even the financially-stable S.A. Rafi Ullah to ATDC’s doors

Unlike most candidates at ATDC, S.A. Rafi Ullah — one of the founders ofthe upscale Nithiya and Rafi Designs fashion house — didn’t come from afinancially weak background. On the contrary, he belongs to a well-to-dofamily.First, he pursued a course in fashion technology from a famous

Chennai-based institute. Then, he enrolled for the Apparel ProductionSupervisor and Quality Control (PSQC) programme at ATDC Chennai.Why on earth would a person from a financially-sound background -–

somebody who had done a course in fashion technology from a reputedinstitute — decide to join ATDC? “For one simple reason: technicalknowledge,” answers Rafi Ullah.Having completed the course from Institute of Design, he still felt

something was amiss. “I found myself technically crippled. I mean, I didn’thave the hands-on knowledge of the apparel industry,” he confides.That absence of technical know-how was a big setback for a person who

wanted to become a successful designer. “The ATDC course gave me therequired technical know-how and practical knowledge,” says Rafi Ullah,who has worked with superstars like Kamal Haasan, Dhanush and Surya,among others, in the Tamil film industry.He was impressed with the exhaustive curricula that included in-depth

knowledge of the production process, inspection methods, qualitysystems, specialised machinery and materials used in the apparelindustry, fabric knowledge and sewing and supervision skills and so on.On successful completion of the course, Rafi Ullah, along with friend

Nithiya Poulina, founded his first fashion store, Fashion Studio. Later, thename was changed to Nithiya and Rafi Designs. To his credit, Rafi, is notonly an external jury member and mentor at NIFT-Chennai, but has alsotaught at M.G.R. University for a year.The fashion duo’s astounding designs continue to set the benchmark for

fashion in the southern film industry. Today, he has clients across theglobe — the caravan that began with ATDC has reached foreign shores.It shows that when talent meets the right skill provider, the recipe of

success gets extra delicious.

“HAVINGCOMPLETED MYFASHIONTECHNOLOGYFROM A REPUTEDCHENNAIINSTITUTE, I STILLFELT SOMETHINGWAS MISSING… THEATDC COURSEGAVE ME THEREQUIREDTECHNICAL KNOW-HOW ANDPRACTICALKNOWLEDGE”

ATDC Chennai

ENTREPRENEURS

Story to TellName: S.A. Rafi UllahAge: 36Course: Apparel Production Supervision & Quality Control (PSQC)Employer: Self-employed

from the

heart

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Story to TellName: Tabassum ParveenAge: 19Course: SMART Operator (Basic)Employer: Self-employed

Purpose to Life

Shaken by her mother’s demise, Tabassum Parveen can’t hideher emotions when she speaks of what ATDC has done for her

Death ends a life, not hope.

Losing one of your parents early in life is something that can literally killall hope — especially if you are living in a modest family where makingends meet is what takes up all thoughts and energies.The death of her mother came as a huge jolt for Tabassum Parveen,

then just 19. Living at Bankra in Howrah district in West Bengal, she hadpromised her mother she would raise nine younger siblings if anythingever happened to her.A herculean promise, one must say. But some people are born to be

tough and fight against all odds in any situation. “When mom died, itripped our lives apart. She was the heart of our family. She worked hard toprovide us food and education,” says an emotional Tabassum.Tabassum had never thought that she would have to play the role of a

mother at such a tender age.Without any means of gainful employment in the absence of either

knowledge or skills, Tabassum faced a lot of difficulty in providing evenbasic meals to her brothers and sisters. But, the almighty helps those whohelp themselves.Undeterred, she kept on looking for options. Then, one of her friends

told her about ATDC. Tabassum got enrolled in SMART (Basic) coursesponsored by Ambuja Cement Foundation.The faculty at ATDC provided her basic training to stitch clothes and

helped her ward off initial fears.Now, things are different for her.Tabassum started her own tailoring business. Slowly, she picked up the

pieces and her business started rolling.Today, she has five employees and is trying her best to give back to the

society by empowering other women like her.She has dedicated her life to provide a better life to her siblings. “The

ATDC-SMART course not only made my life easy but also gave it a pur-pose. I am thankful to the faculty that helped me shape my life,” she says.

“THE ATDC-SMART COURSENOT ONLY MADEMY LIFE EASY BUTALSO GAVE IT APURPOSE. I AMTHANKFUL TOTHE FACULTYTHAT HELPED MESHAPE MY LIFE”

45

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

44

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

ATDC Kolkata

SPONSORED

from the

heart

ATDC Rohini

SPONSORED

Story to TellName: Kamaluddin KhanAge: 40Course: Apparel Production Supervision and Quality Control (PSQC)Employer: Ramms International Pvt Ltd, Gurgaon

Second Life

For Kamaluddin Khan, the decision to join ATDC was a blessing in disguise

Anyone who has ever struggled with poverty knows how corrosive theexperience is. Kamaluddin Khan certainly does. Walking on the road to success today, he can never forget the time 10

years back when paying utility or grocery bills was a nightmare for him —forget an evening hangout with his wife at a nice place in the nationalcapital. Living in a small hiuse in Rohini — a north-west Delhi suburb —with his wife Nasima Khatoon, things were not that bad as the couple wasexploring various options while simultaneously relishing whatever littlecame their way.Then came kids. And the pressure began to mount. It seemed time had

begun to run out. “I confided in my wife a lot; we discussed poverty andassociated fears. She often told me she would do some part-time job toraise the kids, but I did not agree. I needed her with the kids,” discloses anemotional Kamaluddin.He promised to make their life better. Already working in the garment

business — freelancing for small firms in the role of quality controller –what he needed was a skill push. Then, a friend told him about ATDC,describing it as the place to upgrade his skills and learn the ropes better.He got himself enrolled in the six-month Apparel Production

Supervision and Quality Control (PSQC) programme at ATDC Rohini, withhelp from the Delhi Scheduled Castes Finance and DevelopmentCorporation Ltd (DSFDC) that sponsored him and many other candidateslike him living at the margins. “I joined ATDC. To meet my financialobligations, I also went selling water filters from door to door,” revealsKamaluddin. The exposure to state-of-the-art teaching facilities and anexperienced faculty helped, and he landed a job with Gurgaon-basedRamms International Pvt Ltd as a production manager. His fortunechanged, slowly but significantly.Today, at a salary of Rs 40,000 a month, 40-year-old Kamaluddin is able

to send his kids to a public school. “Both my kids are growing the way Ialways wanted them to,” he says, proudly. He owes a lot to ATDC forhelping him start afresh. “We have stability now. I don’t think twice beforebuying expensive gifts for my kids. We celebrate their birthdays and, attimes, I take my family on outings without thinking much about theexpenses,” he maintains. For Kamaluddin, joining ATDC when things werefalling apart was one decision that changed his life completely – for good.He now hopes more youth from his community would look at ATDC.

“TODAY, I DON’TTHINK TWICEBEFORE BUYINGEXPENSIVE GIFTSFOR MY KIDS. WECELEBRATE THEIRBIRTHDAYS ANDI TAKE MY FAMILYON OUTINGSWITHOUTTHINKING MUCHABOUT THEEXPENSES. ALLBECAUSE OFATDC”

4746

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

from the

heart

Story to TellName:Abubakar GaziAge: 23Course: Fashion Design Technology (FDT)Employer: Self-employed

Inspiring Others

For a youth who wanted to understand the mechanics of apparel to starting a business, ATDC came handy

A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat,determination and hard work. According to this young man, life is noteasy for those who are in jobs. To help a big joint family, where there areseveral mouths to be fed, a job alone can’t guarantee a sustainedlivelihood, he feels. Meet Abubakkar Gazi, in his twenties, who “neverwanted to be in a job”.And he makes it amply clear why he did not want a job. “My father ran a

small tailor shop from a space as small as a garage. The shop — our onlysource of income — was everything to us and helped the family manage adecent two-time meal. I grew up playing in the shop amid the whiff ofgarments,” he reveals. Soon, he joined the shop -- packing kidswear forcustomers, jotting down orders and telling father what exactly theirdemands were.The business acumen in him was developing. He always wanted to

make it big in the garment sector. But money alone was not theimpediment to fulfilling his dream; the issue was bigger. “It is veryimportant to know the cloth, its patterns and designs. You just cannotsurvive without the right knowledge in this business,” says Abubakkar,like an old, wise man. Having finished graduation from CalcuttaUniversity in 2012, he took admission in the one-year Fashion DesignTechnology (FDT) course at ATDC Santoshpur.Sponsored by Aliah University, the training at ATDC provided him with

a much stronger base across the apparel spectrum. “They taught me whatI needed to know — about machines, patterns, costings and shipments,etc.,” he says. “Being at ATDC worked for me; it was the most practical thingI could have done,” he quips. Soon, he started his own business, speciallydealing in kidswear. Currently, he is operating his business with three lock-stitch machines, one overlock machine and one straight-knife machine.This leaves him with nearly Rs 25,000 a month — enough to give his

family a better livelihood than before. “I am a well-informed professionaltoday and it is all because of ATDC and its well-oiled human machinery,”he says. “Had it not been for ATDC, I would not have had an opportunity tocross the bridge of poverty and reach the place where I am today,” he addswith a smile. The word has spread in his community. And why not? He is ashining example for other youth to get under the skill umbrella of ATDCsooner than later.

“I AM A WELL-INFORMEDPROFESSIONALTODAY AND IT ISALL BECAUSE OFATDC AND ITSWELL-OILEDHUMANMACHINERY. HADIT NOT BEEN FORATDC, I WOULDNOT HAVE HAD ANOPPORTUNITY TOCROSS THE BRIDGEOF POVERTY”

from the

heart

49

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

48

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

ATDC Santoshpur

SPONSORED

ATDC Santoshpur

SPONSORED

Story to TellName: Sk. Nashrat TullahAge: 28Course: Fashion Design Technology (FDT)Employer: Self-employed

Giving Hope Wings

World-class facilities, market-oriented new curricula andtrained faculty give Nashrat Tullah’s hopes wings to fly

To live without hope is to cease to live.Just when Sk. Nashrat Tullah was about to lose hope, ATDC-SMART

happened — giving his life a new direction. Hailing from a remote village ofNurpur in Birbhum district of West Bengal, Nashrat — son of a farmer —always saw his parents toiling hard to provide basic necessities andeducation to him and his eight siblings.A thought — would he be able to provide a better life to his family? --

always haunted him. For Nashrat, only thing that could bridge the gap waseducation.“I always believed that education is key to opening new pathways to

success. I resorted to giving tuition to pay school/college fees and meetmy daily expenses but didn’t give up on education,” says the 28-year-old.After completing a Master’s degree from Rabindra Bharati University in

Kolkata in 2008, Nashrat tried hard to break the glass ceiling.It took him four years.The turning point came in 2012 when he got enrolled in the one-year

Fashion Design Technology (FDT) programme, sponsored by AliahUniversity, at ATDC Santoshpur. The world-class facilities, market-oriented new curricula and trained faculty gave his hopes wings to fly.“ATDC treats its trainees not merely as students but as part of a large,

joint family. It is the suitable place to learn the nitty-gritty of the appareland textile industry,” he explains.Soon after completing the course, Nashrat started his own business of

ready-made garments. Currently, he has four lock-stitch machines, twooverlock machines and one flat lock machine that enables him to savenearly Rs 20,000 a month. “Joining ATDC was like a boon in my life. Today,I am able to provide education to my siblings. My parents are also happyat my success,” he says with pride.Nashrat now hopes to expand his business further.“ATDC helped me start my professional life. I would now explore other

possibilities to enhance my career growth,” he adds. He never ceased tolive. And thanks to ATDC’s skill mission that aims to empowerdisadvantaged sections of the society, many more like him can hope.

“ATDC TREATS ITSTRAINEES NOTMERELY ASSTUDENTS BUT ASPART OF A LARGE,JOINT FAMILY. ITIS THE SUITABLEPLACE TO LEARNTHE NITTY-GRITTY OF THEAPPAREL ANDTEXTILEINDUSTRY”

00

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

from the

heart

51

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

50

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Story to TellName: Lagnajit SahuAge: 22Course: CAD (Pattern Making)Employer: Falodi Garments

A Course That Made All the Difference

For Lagnajit Sahu, it was a course from ATDC that gave a new lease of life to his career and enhaced his income

What’s the value of a vocational course in one’s professional life? It could mean awhole lot of difference if the course concerned is from ATDC. That becomes clearfrom Lagnajit Sahu’s story who knocked at the ATDC doors after three years ofstruggle to make it big in the apparel sector. He used to work at Pratibha Syntex Pvt Ltd in Indore, but after putting in three

precious years of his life, he could not make much headway careerwise. Hailingfrom a small town in Odhisha, he had to leave home only to earn a better livingand help his family to fight poverty. Sahu learnt about ATDC from his maternaluncle who advised him to join the CAD course. “I remained focused during thecourse. I learnt sewing, pattern making and designs at ATDC. It helped me en-hance my skills and encouraged me to grow,” says an emotional Sahu, who nowworks as a CAD operator at Falodi Garments on a handsome rumeneration.

“I AM NOT MUCHEDUCATED BUTATDC PROVIDEDME WITH VOCATIONALTRAINING ANDGAVE A NEWTURN TO MY CAREER.”

from the

heart

52

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

MOVING WITH THE TIMESWith the application of computer in every single aspect of life, there was no way ATDC would not introduce a course inComputer Aided Design – a great mix of skills and technology

>>

ATDC Indore

GENNEXT

Story to TellName: K VigneshAge: 22Course: Knitwear Manufacturing Technology Employer: Gangai Garments in Tamil Nadu

Learning New Skills

For K Vignesh, doing farming in his village was not very inspiring.He wanted to explore and lo! ATDC was right there for him

K Vignesh’s family was in farming and agriculture. But the income was not enough.He decided to do something new to boost his income. “I was clueless about my fu-ture. I learnt about ATDC through an advertisement in the Dinaithal newspaper. Idiscussed about taking up a course at ATDC with my parents. They were scepticalabout it in the beginning and it took me time to convince them,” says Vignesh. “Buttoday they are convinced that it was the right decision,” he says, happily. He enrolled in the Knitwear Manufacturing Technology (KMT/CAD) course at

ATDC. “It’s not an easy course and I had to put in a lot of hard work. The faculty always encouraged me,” he recalls. “My course at ATDC imparted me skills in qualitycontrol and pattern making. I also learnt cutting techniques which helped me get ajob.” Vignesh is working as a junior merchandiser at Gangai Garments in Tamil Nadu.“I am glad that I am able to stand on my own feet. Great job, ATDC, “ he adds.

“IT’S NOT AN EASYCOURSE AND IHAD TO PUT IN ALOT OF HARDWORK. THE FACULTY ALWAYSENCOURAGEDME”.

ATDC Tirupur

GENNEXT

from the

heart

53

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Story to TellName: R RajeshAge: 25Course: Apparel Manufacturing TechnologySponsored by: BC, MBCand Minorities Welfare Department, Govt ofTamil NaduEmployer: AI Enterprisesin Anna Nagar (Chennai)

An Engineer of a Different Kind

His journey to become an Industrial Engineer began when he met achildhood friend in Guindy, who told him about ATDC

R. Rajesh wanted to do something big in life. He could not continue his studies tobecome a civil engineer due to financial constraints but he did become a differentkind of engineer — an Industrial Engineer (IE). According to the 25-year-old son ofa farmer, his father used to ask us if we were doing well in our studies. Just an an-swer in the affirmative would bring a smile on his face,” recalls Rajesh. His journeyto become an Industrial Engineer began when he met a childhood friend inGuindy, who told him about ATDC.Rajesh believed that this opportunity could lead him to his dream. “I enrolled

myself in AMT course as it was sponsored by the government,” informs Rajesh.Once he completed the course, Rajesh started working as an Industrial Engi-

neer in AI Enterprises in Anna Nagar (Chennai) at a handsome salary of Rs.20,000. “It was the endless hard work and determination of the faculty membersof ATDC Guindy who helped me achieve my aim,” he says. Rajesh feels happythat his father’s hard work has paid off and his dream shaped into a reality.

“IT WAS THE END-LESS HARD WORKAND DETERMINA-TION OF THE FACULTY WHOHELPED MEACHIEVE MY AIM”

ATDC Chennai

GENNEXT

from the

heart

55

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Story to TellName: Binod Kr RoutAge: 20Course: Apparel Manufacturing Advanced (AMA) ProgrammeEmployer: RajeshBheda Consultancy

Overcoming Language Barriers

For Binod Kr Rout, a right advice helped change his life forever

Binod Kr Rout who hails from Kendrapada in Odisha describes himself as “adreamer”. “I grew up with one dream to change living conditions at home for thebetter and ATDC has helped me realise that dream,” says the 20-year-old. His father is suffering from mouth cancer for the last one year and his condition

is deteriorating by the day. There is no other earning member in the family. “I realised soon after my schooling completed that I will have to work hard to

earn a living,” he says. One of his cousins, a lawyer based in Delhi, told him aboutthe ATDC courses and convinced him to join.He enrolled for the Apparel Manufacturing Advanced (AMA) programme. “I

faced a lot of difficulties during my course. Firstly, there was a language barrier.” His aloofness was noticed by the faculty and they bridged the gap for him. They

even translated Hindi lectures in Oriya for me several times,” he fondly recalls. Binod Kr Rout is working with Rajesh Bheda Consultancy in Gurgaon as an In-

dustrial Engineer. He earns Rs 14,000 a month, enough to make some savings andsend home money. “Now, I am sure the future will be still better,” says Binod.

“I DON’T KNOWWHAT WOULDHAVE HAPPENEDTO MY LIFE… NOW,I AM SURE THE FUTURE WILL BEBETTER”

ATDC Odisha

GENNEXT

from the

heart

54

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Story to TellName: Dayal Singh NegiAge: 28Course: Apparel Manufacturing Technology (AMT)Employer: Orient Clothing Pvt Ltd, Gurgaon

Cricket to Cloth

Dayal Singh Negi has a success story to narrate that mostwould love to experience — but only a few would achieve

IN A DIFFERENT MOULDThey are not ‘engineers’ as we know the term, but they arekey for production on the floor of an apparel manufactur-ing unit, maintaining quality, efficiency and productivity

Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. He was a budding crick-eter, playing the game at the club level with the likes of Gautam Gambhir,Robin Bisht and Robin Singh. But sports is not a career most parents en-courage their children to take up.“You have to do something concrete which gives you deep technical

knowledge,” his elder brother told him soon after Dayal Singh Negi, 28,completed his graduation from Delhi University. The choice of sector alsocame from his brother. “He told me to go for the apparel sector as it was abooming area,” recalls Dayal. “I am happy I heeded his advice and joinedthe Apparel Manufacturing Technology (AMT) programme at ATDC,” hesays. Rightly so, because not too many 28-year-olds would have such awonderful success story to tell. Hold your breath. His annual packagetoday is nearly Rs 18 lakh! But there is another story behind this success:the story of perseverance, dedication and hard work.Dayal came from an educated, middle-class family. His father worked as

an engineer in the erstwhile Delhi Electricity Supply Undertaking. “ATDCgave me the much-needed platform from where my career took off. I cansay that I owe all my success to ATDC,” says Dayal, who is working as an In-dustrial Engineer (IE) Group Manager at Orient Clothing in Gurgaon.The AMT course taught him the technical know-how of pattern making,

garment construction, quality control, fabric study, specialised machineryand work aids, apparel production techniques, time and motion studyand production planning and control. A pretty exhaustive, very modern,standardised curricula for those who want to correctly understand thescience behind apparel production, he feels. His career started after he joined Orient Craft, Noida. “The initial years of

my career were very formative for me. I started in the company as atrainee and within a period of three years, I was promoted as the senior IEexecutive,” says Dayal. “I would say it was a wonderful experience atATDC. The faculty, the training modules, the infrastructure — everythingwas excellent,” adds Dayal. An inspiring tale, indeed.

“ATDC GAVE METHE PLATFORMFROM WHERE MYCAREER TOOKOFF. I CAN SAYTHAT I OWE ALLMY SUCCESS TOATDC”

57

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

56

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

ATDC Noida

GENNEXT

from the

heart

>>

59

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Story to TellName: Subham Kumar UpadhyayAge: 23Course: Advance Diploma in Apparel Manufacturing TechnologyEmployer: MRS Fashions, Bahrain

Story to TellName: Ravi Kant ShekharAge: 21Course: Advance Diploma in Fashion DesignEmployer: MRS Fashions, Bahrain

From Bihar to Bahrain

A skill gives a person wings to fly. How far one flies depends on hiscalibre and luck. Here are two boys who flew across the seas

Subham Kumar Upadhyay, 23, was an ordinary boyin a distant village in Bihar. He was willing to workhard, but the question was: in what should he in-vest his labour? He appeared for a polytechnicexam and cleared it, but could not take admissionas the fee was too high.One day, he came to know about ATDC through a

friend. He enquired further about the fee structureand career prospects after the course. Subham bor-rowed money from one of his father’s friends andenrolled for the two-year Advance Diploma in Ap-parel Manufacturing Technology at ATDC Patna.After the course, he joined Akriti Creation, Delhi,

as a Quality Controller. In August 2013, ATDC organ-ised a Placement Week at his headquarters in Gur-gaon, and Subham decided to join ATDC.It was a decision that would change his life.Among the companies shopping for talent at the

Placement Week was MRS Fashions, a Bahrain-based company. They liked what they saw in Shub-

ham: a hard worker who thanks ATDC’s trainingthat helped him know about the apparel business.MRS Fashions hired him as a Quality Controller. Hejoined the company on December 31.“This is unbelievable,” Subham says. “It seems

like a dream that I am sitting in Bahrain today andearning a handsome amount. This opportunitycame my way all thanks to ATDC.” He now drawsan equivalent of Rs 26,000 a month. Today, he hasbecome an inspiration for youth in his hometown. Take, for instance, Ravi Kant Shekhar, 21. His fa-

ther worked in a Post Office and did not earn much.Then, he passed away and Ravi’s world camecrashing down. Now, he was the breadwinner.But with neither a higher education nor any

skills, what could he do? He somehow enrolled fora course at ATDC Patna. He, too, joined Akriti Cre-ation, Delhi as Quality Controller. And like Subham,he was also picked by MRS Fashions. Skill has no boundaries, and they just prove that.

58

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

ATDC Patna

GLOBALSTEPS

Story to TellName: Charishma VAge: 25Course: Apparel Production Super-vision and Quality Control (PSQC)Employer: M/s Maryan Apparels

ATDC KannurBORN

TOUGH

“ATDC PROVIDEDME THE WAY OUT.I THINK IT WASJUST THE RIGHTCOURSE FOR ME”

from the

heart

Her husband’s income was not enough to afford them the little luxuries of life,like the occasional new sari, or a decent education for their little child.Charishma from Kuthuparamba, Kerala, thought that she should work to

supplement the family income. But what could she do? She was just 12thpassed — not qualified enough to get a well-paying job.Destiny smiled upon her, when a friend told Charishma about the nearby

ATDC centre. She took no time in discussing the course with her family.With the support and encouragement from her family, Charishma got her-

self enrolled in the Production Supervision and Quality Control course atATDC Kannur.“I wanted to work but didn’t know what to do. I came to know about the

ATDC courses. But I couldn’t go for long-term training because I have to lookafter my family too. But they also had small-term courses which came to myrescue,” Charisma, 25, recalls.After completing the course in 2012, Charishma started working as a super-

visor with Maryan Apparels in Kuthuparamba — just a short walk from herhouse — at a monthly salary of Rs 5,000.From being a simple housewife to a Quality Control Supervisor in a textile

factory, Charishma has come a long way. And it is ATDC that helped her coverthat distance, she acknowledges. “ATDC provided me the way out. I think itwas just the right course for me,” she says. With more income, the family cannow spare some money for little luxuries.

An Easier LifeThere were many options before this 25-year-old housewife. As itturned out, she chose the best one

case study: ATDC -SURAT in collaboration with Ambuja Foundation

When you uplift an individual, youtake a giant step toward uplifting asociety. With such a goal in mind,ATDC started its mission in Gujarat’sSurat city — also known as the textilecapital of India and the diamondcapital of the world. As the largestproducer of cotton in India — withover one-third of the totalproduction — Gujarat is also thelargest manufacturer of man-madeand filament fabric and the second-largest manufacturer of cottonfabric.The state has a dominant share in

the production of denim, with a onebillion-metre capacity, andcontributes over one-fourth of thecountry’s technical textiles output.When it comes to the apparelmanufacturing units, Gujarat has thehighest number of medium andlarge textile processing houses. It ishome to more than 50 percent ofIndia’s processing machinerymanufacturers and 90 percent ofweaving machinery manufacturers.In terms of policy, too, the state is

streets ahead of others. The Gujarat Textile Policy of 2012laid down an integrated approach — from fibre to fashion —to transform its cotton industry as a leader inmanufacturing of yarn, fabric and garments. The policyhas schemes that provide assistance for enhancing skillsand modernising technology to make the apparel textileindustry competitive.What had been troubling the state in past few years,

however, was the unavailability of skilled manpower.This limited the ability of the textile industry in Gujarat

to capitalise on abundant raw material availability andalso to earn higher per-unit realisation on value-addedproducts. This is where ATDC had a role to play. Itunderstood the demand for skilled manpower and beganin right earnest to tap the energy of youth and women,especially from the lower strata of the society, to build anarmy of skilled people who could contribute to the apparelskillscape of the state. Take Surat, for example.

SKILLING REACHES DOORSTEPSTired of brewing alcohol as they knew it was an illegalactivity in a state with prohibition laws in place, womenfrom the villages around Magdala in Surat were interestedin gaining some skills. They had a problem, though: thedistance. The ATDC Surat Centre was 15 km away and theyhad no means to travel that far.Where there is will, there is a way. ATDC, along with

Ambuja Cement Foundation, decided to go right to theirdoorsteps. After initial discussions with the village heads,ATDC was assigned a temple located just 1 km from thevillage to start a Skill Camp. The skilling began, as it were,with the blessings of the almighty. The state government bore the major part of the course

fee, while some was taken care of by Ambuja CementFoundation — with the women themselves having to givejust a minuscule sum for training. The women wereawestruck by the teaching methods being adopted by theATDC-SMART Skill Camp. Their journey towards a betterlife had just begun.

MISERY PAVES THE WAY FOR EMPLOYMENT The next challenge was employment. ATDC learnt that

the apparel manufacturing units in the nearest apparelpark in the Sachin area were looking for skilled workers.The manufacturers were aware of the ATDC-SMART skill

movement and were glad to note that it had almostreached their doorsteps.After completion of the course, the women met several

representatives from the apparel manufacturing units andwere selected for jobs. The ATDC certification has been aboon for women in the area. Today, they are working invarious garment units in the apparel park — they earn adecent livelihood and have shunned the practice ofbrewing alcohol.They have mastered the state-of-the-art machines. Some

of the fast learners have even been promoted up theproduction line. The manufacturers are amazed at theshort span of time in which these women have adapted tothe professional environment. They want ATDC to trainmore hands in and around area to continue bridging thedemand-supply gap.

BENEFITTING COMMUNITY-AT-LARGEMore women from the village and surrounding areas are

now aware of the ATDC-SMART presence and are lookingforward to joining the job-oriented courses. The skilling hasnot only helped the women give up their illegal activity, butalso brought them one step closer to realising their dreamsof earning an honest livelihood. It has also lit anentrepreneurial spark. While most women have joined theapparel manufacturing units, a few have started their owntailoring business! Many households have given up thebusiness of brewing and trading in alcohol. Women arenow seen differently, have earned a distinct respect amongthe elderly and are economically active — contributingtowards the uplift of their socio-economic status.Overall, the skillscape of the region has been

metamorphosed by the timely intervention of ATDC.The caravan has not stopped; it is now spreading fast,

capturing the imagination of many such women in areasin and around Surat — and beyond.

6160

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

How ATDC changedSurat (image) of a village

Women once involved inbrewing and trading in alcohol are now the prideof their village in Surat,thanks to ATDC’s skill intervention that helpedtransform an entire community

AFTER COMPLETION OF THE COURSE, THEWOMEN MET SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVES FROMTHE APPAREL MANUFACTURING UNITS ANDWERE SELECTED FOR JOBS. THE ATDCCERTIFICATION HAS BEEN A BOON FOR WOMENIN THE AREA.

Future ‘SMART’ operators

Two brave young girls — Komal and Nisha — show how the ATDC movement is helpingdisadvantaged sections in the National Capital Region to connect with the mainstream

As a sourcing destination and a gateway to the rest ofIndia’s apparel and textiles sector, the Delhi-National Capi-tal Region (Delhi-NCR) apparel cluster not only providesunique value in product development and design, but alsoa tremendously flexible supply base. Accounting for about 25 percent share in the country’s

current apparel exports, the cluster in Delhi-NCR includeslocations across four states — Delhi, Haryana, UttarPradesh and Rajasthan. Moreover, the apparel cluster of-fers immense employment opportunities in Delhi-NCR,currently employing over one million people. Such figures are great, but the future requires millions of

skilled shop-floor workers to fill the huge demand andsupply gap. And it is here that ATDC-SMART Centres andVocational Institutes emerges as a natural choice. The new SMART Fast-Track curricula provides a more

scientific approach to the training of the shop-floor work-force. Simultaneously, the skill mission allows people liv-ing at the margins to gain a respectful livelihood by joiningthe burgeoning apparel and textiles sector.

BRIDGING THE GAPAsk 22-year-old Komal — eldest among her five siblingsand living in Devli village near the Dwarka suburb of NewDelhi — and you would know how.Her father, a painter, somehow kept the heads of the

family, living in rented accommodation, above water.“Being the eldest comes with an additional responsibil-

ity. I had to leave studies after class 10 as I had to take careof my younger siblings,” recalls Komal. One day, her neigh-bour informed her about SMART Operator (Basic) coursein collaboration with GMR Varalakshmi Foundation(GMRVF). Excited, she reached the vocational training cen-tre. Impressed, she got enrolled in the course the very nextday. She persuaded her younger sister to take the admis-sion too. Both sisters joined the SMART course.Komal is now working with an apparel manufacturing

unit on a remuneration of Rs 5,300 per month. “My confi-dence levels are at a new high. I am now able to financiallysupport my family. I am also saving for my marriage as Idon't want to burden my father,” she says with a smile.

“MY CONFIDENCELEVELS ARE AT ANEW HIGH. I AM NOW IN ACONDITION TOFINANCIALLYSUPPORT MYFAMILY. I AM ALSOSAVING FOR MYMARRIAGE AS IDON’T WANT TOBURDEN MYFATHER”

from the

heart

6362

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

case study: ATDC - NCR with GMRV Foundation

NISHA, a SMART machineoperator lives inKusumpur Pahari — oneof the slums in Delhi —and you will know whatwe are trying to empha-sise here. Her life is a shin-ing example of how evena little opportunity at theright time can change alife for good.But the journey was

not easy for her. Nishahad to leave studies after

class 5 owing to poor financial conditions at home. And at the ten-der age of 17, she was forced to tie theknot with a man who was unem-ployed, and a drunkard.“It was like the destiny has

slammed its doors right in my face.There seemed no way out,” recallsNisha, now 25. Mustering somecourage, she walked to a nearbyNGO and asked for a job: she got oneat a mere Rs 1,500 per month. “I didn’t run from the situation.

Whatever little I received, I helpedmy husband and in-laws,” she says.After two years of marriage, healthproblems began to affect her. Herhusband and in-laws left her and

moved to their village. Nisha's par-ents took her in and got her treated.One day, she got to know about the

SMART Operator (Basic) coursebeing offered by ATDC, in collabora-tion with GMRVF at their vocationaltraining Centre near the IndiraGandhi International Airport inDelhi. She decided to join this coursefor a better future. “I worked hardand completed the course well intime with help from ATDC faculty,”adds a shy Nisha. Nisha got a job with Neetee Cloth-

ing in Gurgaon on a monthly pay ofRs 6,000. There was no looking back.“Thanks to ATDC, I am able to standfirmly on my feet today,” she says.

Instilling Confidence

Name: KomalAge: 22Course: SMART Operator (Basic)Employer: Orient Crafts, Gurgaon

Story to tell Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Story to TellName: NishaAge: 25Course: SMART Operator (Basic)Employer: Neetee Clothing Pvt. Ltd, Gurgaon

impact study: Rajasthan

In a country like India, where thereare millions of youth seekingemployment and scores of apparelmanufacturing units seekingemployable youth — creating alinkage is the key.This is what ATDC, the largest

skill provider in the apparel sector,set out to do when it began ajourney that took it to every nookand corner of the country to skill youth, women, people from the marginalised sections ofsociety, minorities, differently-abledand so on.To understand any skill impact,

one needs to go back to where it allstarted. Let's take you then to thewestern state of Rajasthan whereATDC began its skill mission justthree years back.

ENTERING A ROBUST STATEFirst, the question: Why Rajasthan?Apparel and textiles manufacturingunits prefer to set up base in the

state because of the abundantavailability of raw material, a network of backward and forwardlinkages, easy market access,proximity to the National Capital Region (NCR), greatconnectivity and the emergingopportunity of being a part of the Japanese-backed Delhi-MumbaiIndustrial corridor (DMIC)— over 40 percent of which falls inRajasthan.Apart from robust infrastructure,

the state has over 300 industrialareas — three functional SpecialEconomic Zones (SEZs) and ITParks at Jaipur, Udaipur and Kotaand Export Promotion IndustrialParks at Jodhpur and Neemrana,

ATDC CAME IN EARLYWhat the state's apparel and textileplayers lacked, however, was aregular supply of trained workforceas they expanded.Keeping this in mind, ATDC-

SMART entered the state in 2011.The early idea was to provide theapparel manufacturing sector withabundant shop-floor workers.Though it started modestly, ATDC

has grown rapidly in the state. At present, there are SMART

Training Centres/Skill Campsrunning in over 18 strategically-located places in the state with helpfrom state government and theRajasthan State IndustrialDevelopment and InvestmentCorporation (RIICO).In three years, the number of

students trained under the SMARTskill initiative are over 16,000. Theplacement figures of ATDC-SMARTstudents at various apparel

manufacturing units across thestate — and beyond — stands over 55percent while number ofcandidates who chose selfemployment mode are over 24percent.

SKILLING GETS A BOOSTThousands of youth and womenfrom the socially weak segments ofthe state have been trained incourses like Sewing MachineOperator (Basic), Sewing MachineOperator (Advance), SurfaceOrnamentation, Garment Checkerand Packer, etc. This was made possible by

state-of-the-art machinery, a newand standardised curricula, trained faculty and strategiccollaborations.The ATDC-SMART skill mission

has not just stopped at training. Theinteractive seminars it organisedand participated in have spread themessage to a large pool of peopleacross the spectrum.More and more apparel players

are now looking at ATDC to fulfilltheir need for skilled hands.The future is promising.The state’s friendly investment

policies are, moreover, encouragingmore and more apparel players toset up manufacturing units.Thus, the role of ATDC becomes

all the more crucial. It has to keepthe momentum going to provide askilled workforce to a thrivingapparel economy.The people in the state of

Rajasthan, especially from the ruralhinterland, are set to witness a newskill sun rising — this time from theWest.

6564

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Advantage ATDC, inRajasthan

In a short span of time,ATDC-SMART Centres/SkillCamps have changed theapparel skillscape of Rajasthan; the future holdsgreat promise for the talented youth and womento acquire new skills andjoin the mainstream

ATDC PRESENCE INRAJASTHANMIA SitapuraChittorgarhShahpura (Bhilwara) JodhpurBagruHanumangarh Chirawa(Jhunjhunu) Pali BalotaraGeejgarh (Dausa) DausaAjmer(Pushkar) Bikaner Tijara BhiwadiGangrarUdaipur Churu

ATDC FINDS OUT...

JAIPUR CLUSTER

250Garment Manufacturing Units

200Export-Oriented Units

50Domestic-manufacturing Units

60Fabric-Processing Units

700Fabricators (stiching, embroidery,accessories etc.)

25Machine Embroidery Units

100Merchant Exporters

AND HOW ATDC BRIDGES THE GAP...

16,000 students ATDC trained so far

6766

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

Huna

r ka

Safa

r / AT

DC S

UCCE

SS S

TORI

ES

When skills meet reality

You know that the skilling missionhas been mainstreamed when TV offers a reality contest where participants compete to showcasetheir skills

Skilling has truly arrived. On February 5, ATDCFaridabad transformed itself into the sets of‘HunarBaaz’, a first-of-its-kind TV reality show thathad individuals and teams competing to showcasetheir skills and knowledge on one platform.

Much like TV reality shows like ‘India’s GotTalent’, the ‘HunarBaaz’ show saw cameras trackingthe young and excited participants from outside thevenue, telling their individual stories and closelyfollowing their fortunes as they competed for thecoveted honour of being named skill leaders. Theevent saw 57 students taking part in various skillcompetitions. The first of these was the ‘AssemblyLine’ event where teams of six students each set upassembly lines using different machines to producefive garments.

The teams were rated on the basis of speed,precision and quality of final garments emergingfrom each of the five assembly lines. And the jointwinners were teams from ATDC Faridabad andATDC Dilshad Garden, who displayed the greatestcoordination even as they produced classygarments. They produced five skirts in just 25minutes!

Another event involved testing of skills on‘Surface Ornamentation’. Tablemats were providedto the participants with embroidery motifs. Theyhad to embroider the pieces with their choice ofstitches and colours. These were rated on the basisof aesthetics, colour combinations, stitch selection,neatness and overall quality. And the winner herewas ATDC Noida. Not just the winners, but everyparticipant in ‘HunarBaaz’ thoroughly enjoyedthemselves and are eagerly looking forward toSeason 2 to once again showcase their newly-acquired skills to the nation.