PG student turns hobby into profitable venture, funds her studies

One often hears students announcing that they themselves would meet the expenses of their education. However, most of these dreams never turn into reality, especially in our country. Moreover, many parents put in much effort to fund the higher education of their children even while publicly supporting the foreign concept of working along with learning.

In such a situation, Smrithi V Raj needs to be congratulated for balancing her postgraduate education with a passion that earns enough money for her education. Moreover, the success of Smrithi’s venture 'Albatross Craftsify' proves that making craft objects could be not only a hobby but also a profitable activity.

It was during the lockdown that art and craft ventures became a trend on social media. However, Smrithi had launched Albatross Cratisify much earlier.

Since childhood, Smrithi was passionate about making various craft items but her life took a dramatic turn when she started making dreamcatchers a year ago. Until then, Smrithi was just another youngster, happy that her parents were paying all her college fees and meeting other educational expenses.

When Smrithi shared images of her dreamcatchers on social media, they instantly attracted attention and earned numerous likes. Moreover, many people expressed an interest to buy her creations.

That set Smrithi thinking seriously about turning her hobby into a source of income and she opened Albatross Craftsify, an Instagram page that displayed her works. The first sale earned Smrithy Rs 120, which she used to buy more raw materials for new creations.

The youngster soon started making gift hampers, threadwork and embroidery apart from dreamcatchers for selling them. Gradually, Smrithi’s profits increased. However, the lockdown was imposed around this time, hitting her business hard.

Proving a point

Smrithi became concerned over the future of her dream venture, but everything changed for the better in a few weeks. The young entrepreneur not just began receiving a flood of orders during the lockdown period, but also inspired several others to launch their own craft ventures.

When her monthly income from Albatross Craftsify crossed Rs 20,000, Smrithy decided that she herself would meet the expenses of her education. An MSc Microbiology student at Kerala University’s Kariavattom campus in Thiruvananthapuram, Smrithi is now happy that she could fulfil her dream. The money for her course fees, hostel fees and other needs is entirely sourced from the profits of Albatross Cratsify.

“My biggest achievement is that I could free my parents from the responsibility of finding the funds for my education,” says the proud entrepreneur-student.

About her future plans, Smrithi says: “Further studies in Microbiology and attending a course abroad are among my dreams. All these plans will be realized with the money I earn.”