HOUSE OF BAMBOO

From modest beginnings in rural Bihar, an eco-enterprise now crafts 300 bamboo products sold across 25 states

- By AMITABH SRIVASTAVA

IF bamboo symbolises resilience, so does 27-year-old Satyam Sundaram. From modest beginnings in Purnia, Bihar, he now runs a thriving eco-enterprise that supplies 300 handcrafted bamboo products across 25 states.

Satyam grew up in a household where sustenance came from his father's humble vocation: cooking in the Bihar Police mess. Satyam tried hard for a government post, but fell short. An MBA in Kolkata became his turning point. Internships with major brands taught him persuasion, market strategy and the fundamentals of selling—skills that would define his career.

Still, starting something of his own was easier said than done.