Kalyani Gongi’s commute to her factory is quite long; she utilises the long drives to speak to the dealers, buyers and look at product feedback or else recollect her childhood memories and the games they played. “Playing games was our family time, you know. Sometimes we didn't even need the board games to keep us occupied, we would draw lines on the ground, find a flat stone and play hopscotch,” she recollects. Founder and managing director of Ancient Living, Kalyani Gongi is an entrepreneur purely because her passion for all things natural drives her. Having grown up watching her father B Nageshwar Rao live out his love for organic farming, Kalyani was highly driven and inspired. As she accompanied her father, she realised her initial lessons in farming, understanding the nature of herbs and trees that were already planted.
The love for natural farming continued to grow with Kalyani. “My dad has been growing the essential oil herbs for more than 40 years. We used to have a small distillation unit to make oils. Since my childhood I have seen my father do more herb farming than crops. Continuing the legacy, I decided to start Ancient Living. Apart from being a brand that sells oils and all things natural, we want to stress on the importance of wellness — physical and psychological,” says Kalyani.
Ancient Living is a company that was established when Kalyani was irked by the fact that natural oils were mixed with artificial synthetic fragrance and sold in the market as natural products. As result of this practice, essential oils were earning a bad name. “People started telling me about the harm their oils labelled as ‘essential organic herbal’ are causing. Complaints ranged from irritation in the eye to a lack of sleep. This is when I decided to launch our product range. To do so I made use of my knowledge in oil extraction, along with my dad. Then I took a course with Indian School of Business to hone my business skills and see how I can affect the world in a good way and make a family that will bring dignity and pride to to my staff. That is why I do not take credit for the products. I give it all to my staff,” says Kalyani.
As a wellness brand, Ancient Living is looking at various ways to improve the well-being of its patrons — which is why the brand prefers its customers to be its brand ambassadors.
“We first began selling our products with the intention of making our homes and offices free of chemicals. Then we started selling car diffusers; that’s another range of products to go chemical-free,” she explains.
Kalyani goes on to explain why wellness and organic products are close to her heart, “When dad was growing herbs and doing the distillation at our farm, both of us did some courses together on organic herbs and oils. Later, when I got married and moved to Bengaluru, I began missing the oils and fragrances. So, I decided to build it up myself. Then since, we don't grow enough herbs to be able to sell, we used to source them from certified organic farms. For the crops to be healthy and contribute to our over all well being, the soil has to be free of chemicals. The awareness levels on these issues are low, but is are on the rise.”
Reviving traditional games
As an extension of traditional, organic way of lifeAncient Living also decided to bring back traditional games such as pachisi and ashta chamma, with a new touch. They have introduced a line of traditional board games to attract children of this generation. “When children play on the phone or the computer, they only focus on their own score and are isolated. Traditional games on the other hand involve a group, perhaps family, so they help in team-building and bonding,” says Kalyani.