From INR 1,400 A Month To A Listed Ethnic Wear Powerhouse: Inspiring Journey Of Jaipur Kurti Founder Anuj Mundhra

From working at a saree showroom for a monthly salary of just ₹1,400 to building one of India’s most trusted ethnic wear brands, Mr Anuj Mundhra, Founder, Chairman & Managing Director, Nandani Creation Limited (Brand: Jaipur Kurti)—his entrepreneurial journey is a story of grit, instinct, and unwavering belief in quality. Today, his company, Nandani Creation Ltd, which owns the popular brand Jaipur Kurti, stands as a listed entity and a leading name in India’s women’s fashion. But behind this success lies years of learning, risk-taking, and the courage to enter uncharted territory.

A Humble Beginning and a Leap of Faith

Mr Anuj Mundhra began his entrepreneurial journey in 2004, starting a small proprietorship firm focused on block printing, later expanding into screen printing and dyeing. “I started as a job worker,” he recalls, “but somewhere within, there was always a desire to create something bigger.”

That turning point arrived in 2012, when India was witnessing the early waves of e-commerce. A chance encounter with a Jabong banner in Delhi sparked his curiosity. “I didn’t know anything about online business. I asked my friends what online selling was. Even they barely knew. But it felt like the future.”

Trusting this instinct, he purchased eight sewing machines, built a small stitching unit, and launched Jaipur Kurti—a name inspired by the city’s textile heritage. He trademarked it across multiple categories, believing it could one day become a national brand.

Cracking E-commerce Before It Became Mainstream

In the early 2010s, only a handful of ethnic brands dominated the online space. Selling at 40% lower prices without compromising on quality gave Jaipur Kurti an edge. “Everyone asked why I wasn’t selling Kurtis for ₹200 or ₹300. I always said—cheap is not our path; good is our identity,” he says.

This unwavering focus on quality helped the brand gain momentum rapidly. Customers connected with Jaipur’s print legacy, and the brand began building a loyal community—one that remains strong to this day. According to him, Jaipur Kurti continues to enjoy one of the highest repeat purchase rates in India, often between 50% to 80% depending on the platform.

Battling the Early Challenges of Online Retail

The early days of e-commerce were chaotic—for sellers and marketplaces alike. Returns fraud was rampant. Customers sometimes returned parcels filled with bedsheets, cotton scraps, or even tissue paper instead of garments.

“There were no SOPs back then. Marketplaces were learning; we were learning,” Mundhra says. Together with platforms, they developed processes like video-recorded packing and warehouse-level monitoring—many of which are standard practice today.

Data soon became the brand’s backbone. Even before he understood Excel, Mr Anuj Mundhra instinctively knew the value of customer insights. He studied age groups, regions, and customer behaviour to design specific collections—office wear for working women, comfortable everyday sets for homemakers, and, during the lockdown, loungewear that became a major hit.

Offline Retail: A Bold Pivot at the Right Time

Around 2019, Mundhra sensed an “online bubble” forming. “In Surat, for example, four people in one house were running four online brands. Price wars started. Loyalty began shifting. I knew customers would return to offline after a decade of online shopping.”

He launched Jaipur Kurti’s first exclusive store, followed by franchises and EBOs. But scaling offline came with its own challenges—entry into major stores like Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle or large-format retailers wasn’t easy.

As the brand expanded, Mundhra became increasingly confident that offline retail would shape the future of women’s ethnic wear. “Women prefer the touch, feel, and fall of the fabric before buying. That trust element is far stronger offline,” he explains. This belief has been validated by Jaipur Kurti’s rapid growth across physical formats and its recent strategic partnership with Reliance Centro, which has significantly strengthened the brand’s nationwide visibility. With every new store and LFR tie-up, Jaipur Kurti is tapping into the evolving consumer sentiment that blends online convenience with offline confidence.

Onboarding Madhuri Dixit: A Game-Changing Move

In 2023, Jaipur Kurti signed Madhuri Dixit as its exclusive brand ambassador—not just for consumer recall, but to unlock national retail expansion.

“When our team approached them with Madhuri Dixit as our ambassador, doors opened instantly,” he says.

Store owners—whether in metros or small towns—immediately connected with her timeless appeal. Her presence significantly accelerated Jaipur Kurti’s entry across LFRs, MBOs, Reliance Centro, Reliance Trends, and several other major retail chains.

Becoming a Global Indian Brand

Today, Jaipur Kurti has nine company-owned retail stores, a strong franchise network, and a formidable online presence. But Anuj Mundhra believes the journey has only begun.

“My aim is not just to be a national brand—I want Jaipur Kurti to go global,” he says. The company is already in discussions with master franchise partners overseas to take the brand into international markets.

With nearly two decades of learning under his belt and ambitions set on global expansion, Anuj Mundhra’s story stands as a testament to how instinct, resilience, and a deep respect for quality can transform a small stitching unit into a nationwide fashion powerhouse.