In remote west-Sikkim, a youth named Indra Kari Subba is transforming his village by replacing single-use plastic with handcrafted bamboo goods. Recognising the untapped potential in local bamboo species, Subba started a small venture — Khechuperi Bamboo House — to create furniture, baskets, cups, vases and souvenirs from naturally available bamboo.

What began as a modest workshop out of necessity evolved into a growing enterprise. Subba involved local women and school/college dropouts, offering them fair wages and the dignity of steady work. As every household had bamboo plantations, raw material was abundant and free. Their products found demand among locals and the rising tide of tourists visiting Sikkim.

Beyond production, Subba began organising training programmes across the state — reaching out to many unemployed youth. Some of them have gone on to start their own small-scale bamboo ventures. His enterprise thus is not just a business, but a small-scale movement encouraging sustainable living and economic upliftment.

By offering a viable alternative to plastic, and mobilising the community in crafting and skill-building, this initiative is helping preserve Sikkim’s ecological heritage — and proving that sustainability and livelihood can grow hand in hand.