How Ishika Saxena turned design training into a women-led jewellery venture in Badaun
The Badaun-based founder turned a design setback into a homegrown jewellery venture, mobilising local women artisans and tapping a Rs.5 lakh government loan to expand
In Professor Colony, Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, founder Ishika Saxena is building Odilia The Pearl Town as a homegrown, handcrafted jewellery venture that blends formal design training with flexible, local livelihoods. The label is best known for its beaded and pearl-led pieces, while also working with fabric, kundan, jute, and terracotta materials.
What began as a small, experimental effort has gradually evolved into a structured operation rooted in skill, process, and steady learning.
From formal training to independent craft
Saxena completed a three-year diploma in fashion and jewellery design in Varanasi. During her studies, she received permission to work part-time and joined a leading jewellery firm as a trainee designer. Early on, she faced a setback when a set of nearly a dozen sketches was rejected, with managers asking her to better understand the brand’s design language.
Within a week, she returned with revised designs that were approved an experience she describes as a turning point that strengthened her confidence and resolve.
In December 2023, she left employment to start Odilia The Pearl Town. The initial offerings were simple white glass-bead necklaces and bracelets with basic chains and minimal finishing. Over the following year, she upgraded raw materials, improved polishing quality, expanded the colour palette, and diversified into pearl-centric collections along with kundan, fabric, jute, and terracotta jewellery.
A women-led, distributed production model
Odilia The Pearl Town operates on a small, decentralised production system. Saxena develops master samples herself and then distributes assembly work to women artisans who work from home on a piece-rate basis.
Payments typically range from Rs 5 to Rs 20 per piece, depending on complexity and volume. Bulk orders are usually completed within three to five days. Each new design is first prototyped by Saxena, after which artisans receive kits containing beads, findings, and threads, along with a finished reference piece.
Completed batches are checked for finishing and polishing before approval, and payments are released per piece based on accepted quantities. This system, she says, allows consistency while keeping the work flexible and accessible for women managing household responsibilities.
Scaling with structured support and a long-term view
To move beyond early cash flows, Saxena applied under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan Yojana through the District Industries Centre in Badaun. She was sanctioned a Rs 5 lakh interest-free loan with a four-year repayment schedule.
Around Rs 3–4 lakh has been used for raw materials, basic tools, and upgraded packaging, while the remainder has been retained as working capital. She recalls receiving the cheque at a public distribution event in Bareilly, carrying a sandalwood bracelet bearing her brand mark though security protocols meant it could not be handed over on stage.
Alongside running the brand, Saxena conducts basic jewellery-making classes and guides trainees through CM Yuva Yojana application steps. While some students have started micro ventures, others remain cautious about entrepreneurship.
As Odilia The Pearl Town stabilises its processes, her focus remains on consistent quality, faster turnaround times, and gradual expansion of the artisan network—while preserving the work-from-home model that offers women flexible and sustainable income opportunities.
What is CM YUVA Scheme?
Under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath Ji, the state government aims to transform youth from job seekers into job creators.
To achieve this vision, the Directorate of Industries and Enterprise Promotion, under the Department of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises and Export Promotion, is implementing the ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan’ (CM YUVA) Yojana.
Under this scheme, young entrepreneurs are provided with up to Rs 5 lakh in 100% interest-free and collateral-free loans to start their industrial or service-based ventures. In addition, beneficiaries also receive a 10% margin money subsidy on the project cost.
CM YUVA is not just a financial assistance scheme; it also provides mentorship, guidance, market access, and essential resources to help youth become self-reliant entrepreneurs and generate employment opportunities for others.
Click here to know more about the CM YUVA Scheme.