Hailing from a village in the desert near Jaisalmer fort more than a hundred years ago, my great-grandfather, Amolakh, developed a remarkable capacity as a woodworker and furniture maker with the talents he had inherited from his father as a Jangid (suthar). His understanding of the raw materials at his disposal and the dexterity with which he could use them became known throughout the region. In the 1930s the Maharaja of Jaisalmer heard about his work from his courtiers who were already patronizing him and called him to the palace where he was commissioned to produce furniture for the royal family.

His sons followed in the tradition. My father and grandfather are still working with the same passion and intensity. My grandfather was determined that I should not carry on the tradition as he believed I should find another way to live by. I moved to Mumbai for my graduation as an Architect. Mumbai was too far from Jaisalmer and so I planned to settle in Ahmadabad after working with B.V. Doshi.

In spite of his best efforts, I realized that the blood and genes of my ancestors still flow through my veins and our workshop in Ahmedabad is testament to this precious inheritance. We are preserving the skill and craftsmanship of my inherited tradition – now with my Grandfathers’ blessings! Honouring his father, my brothers and I called the company Amolakh, remembering his name at the beginning of all our work.

In Sanskrit, Amolakh means priceless which we believe is exactly the value of what we produce. What matters most is the maintenance of the skills that have been handed down to us and to the team of traditional craftsmen that we work together with. These skills form the basis of the development of new techniques and ways of working, in response to the changing demands and expectations of today’s world.

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With the support of Prof. Arthur Duff (my partner), we at Amolakh have gained international recognition in the field of design. Amolakhs' designs stand out as contemporary and artistic, with dramatic and minimal details.

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                                                                                - Maneesh Kumar Jangid