In cities like Pune, many young individuals start their own business in the field of architecture after obtaining a degree. Husaco is a firm started by Hrishikesh Thoke, Chaitrali Padamwar and Anushka Jadhav. It is imperative for students to do candidacy or internship in order to obtain a degree. Grabbing this opportunity, Hrishikesh worked for an architect in Nepal. He was trained in how to overcome challenges and make the right decisions. Chaitrali gained professional experience during her stint with an established builder. Anushka’s candidature at a startup gave her the opportunity to learn the nuances of a business.
These young people have started their own business with the goal of not just to earn money, but to work independently in their field of interest, in their own way, and create their identity. They learnt about the fluctuations in revenue, financial planning etc. from experience. It is observed that clients don’t take architects seriously. The reason is a common misconception that architects are just of interest to the elites and are not essential. Young people like Hrishikesh, Chaitrali and Anushka get support from experienced architects, who recommend them to clients. There is no challenge in raising capital since one’s own knowledge, skills and confidence are one of the most valuable assets during establishment of a business. However, suppliers, craftsmen, and workers determine how an architect’s vision turns into reality. So, it is important to take care of the customer on one hand and the artisan on the other hand. The firm was established by well-educated middle-class youngsters. There is no dramatic element in this story. However, their entrepreneurial story is definitely something that makes you think and also questions the existing ecosystem of entrepreneurship. The architectural profession lacks any form of regulation or general practice that determines the quality of work. There is a rule that students should apply for candidacy titles as Chartered Accountant, Architect. As this is vocational training, the aim is for students to learn through work experience in that field. In fact, most of the students look at this candidature as an afterthought. Sometimes they reject the candidature because they don’t get a stipend. Even big companies ignore these candidates by giving them mediocre jobs. Hence, it is advisable that students apply in a small company. One can conclude that, business training fosters entrepreneurship development. However, at the same time, no business training is given at all during the four-five year professional degree. In order to succeed in business, emphasis should be laid on communication with customers, publicity, managing of business finance, and most importantly, team work. Thus, such training in subjects useful to an individual should be included in the professional degree curriculum.
This article by Dr. Lalitagauri Kulkarni was originally published in Marathi in Sakaal Newspaper on 19th Sep 2023.
