Life is a transitional journey from tradition to transformation – a perpetual rhythm of evolution, a constant course from the familiar to the unfamiliar. It’s a dynamic interplay between convention and change, where we honour the wisdom of the past while embracing the promise of the future. We move from childhood to adulthood, from education to career, from singlehood to partnership, and from dependence to independence. Each changeover brings new challenges, opportunities, and lessons to learn.
As we navigate these changes, we must be open to growth, adaptable to new circumstances, and resilient in the face of adversity. By embracing the transformative power of life’s journey, we can unlock our full potential and create a meaningful and fulfilling existence.
These life lessons are reflected for us by mighty future shapers like Chaitali Das, a globally renowned Jute Revivalist, Social Entrepreneur, and Guinness World Record Holder for the world’s largest jute bag – under Jute Story–Beyond Bars. She provides inspiration that empowers not only the present but also the coming generations forever.
Chaitali, the visionary entrepreneur, has embarked on a mission to revolutionize the fashion and lifestyle industry through sustainable practices. Her groundbreaking initiative, Jute Story, aims to revitalize the jute industry and promote eco-conscious living.
By transforming Jute into stylish and functional products, Jute Story has challenged traditional perceptions of this natural fibre. From fashionable accessories to sustainable home decor, the brand’s innovative designs have captured the attention of consumers worldwide. Through her relentless efforts, Chaitali is not only creating sustainable livelihoods but also inspiring a global shift towards eco-friendly choices.
As the Global Chairperson and Managing Trustee of Rakshak Foundation, Chaitali is dedicated to driving positive social and environmental change. She advocates for equitable and gender-focused climate action, emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices and resource conservation. Her recent participation in the India Corporate Governance & Sustainability Vision Summit 2023 further solidifies her position as a leading voice in the sustainability movement.
Rakshak Subidha Pvt. Limited, founded by Chaitali’s husband, Jaydip Das, is a leading security service, HR support, and outsourcing company with over 30 years of experience. “Our core business reflects a commitment to delivering exceptional services while extending humanitarian efforts through the Rakshak Foundation,” she informs.
Building a Legacy: Jute Story Beyond Bars
Chaitali’s vision for a greener future is inspiring, and her work with Jute Story is a testament to the power of innovation and sustainability. By championing eco-friendly initiatives and promoting responsible consumption, she is shaping a more sustainable and equitable world.
“Even in the darkest moments, I choose to shine. For it is through adversity that we uncover our true potential.”
Jute Story Beyond Bars is a revolutionary eco-friendly initiative born of Chaitali’s mission to revive Jute and promote the reformation of prison inmates. The journey was extraordinary and challenging—transforming convicts into artisans and advocating for their social inclusion.
Growing up in a family of legal practitioners, Chaitali was moved by the plight of undertrials and their families. As a child, she had visited her father, who was a Public Prosecutor in Alipore Police Court; a sight caught her attention; she saw some people getting out of the police van handcuffed, with thick ropes around their waists, their kin and close ones trying to reach them and policemen driving them away. The humiliation that labelled the undertrials and, the agony of their families, the unavoidable lifelong stigma they carry when they return to the family and mainstream after serving the tenure post-release disturbed her.
Her endeavour slowly invoked hope and confidence in the prison inmates who carried the label of criminal and outcasted by society; her designer product lines and her team of dedicated Artisans contributed to catapulting Jute into the fashion and lifestyle space Internationally. “This experience shaped my resolve to make a difference. Despite opposition from peers, financial challenges, and social stigma, I pursued my mission with unwavering determination,” she recalls. However, her journey was challenging and was vehemently opposed by her close ones and peers. Also, inadequate financial resources daunted her path.
Nonetheless, she went ahead with her mission with a firm resolve. She faced controversies and social isolation in her circles, ridiculing her and was looked down upon for working with people carrying the tag of Convicts. She faced discouragement when she decided to work on reviving Jute, as it constituted a dying sector and a very basic material to work used mainly for carrying agricultural products alongside transforming Convicts into Artisans and their social inclusion.
Chaitali propagated the story of reformation by engaging prison inmates to make jute artefacts and jute-diversified products as a speaker in various national and international forums. Her endeavour to propagate and popularise Jute through innumerable projects, events, and campaigns created massive outreach, slowly inculcating adaptability to the use of Jute, in the process increasing the demand in India and overseas and social inclusion for released prisoners beyond stigma and discrimination.
So far, under her leadership, over 5,000 prison inmates have been trained in skills and wellness programs. Many have started their own enterprises post-release, while others have found employment and rehabilitation through the Rakshak Foundation. Her team also includes survivors of acid attacks, victims of domestic violence, and youth from urban slums, offering them opportunities for economic empowerment and dignity.
The jute products crafted by these artisans have gained international recognition, appearing on prestigious platforms such as SAARC, G20, and Central Asia Fashion in Kazakhstan. This initiative even made it to the Guinness World Record with the largest jute bag, conveying a global message for a greener and more inclusive world.
Winning Over Life’s Greatest Battles with Resilience
According to Chaitali, “Life’s greatest lessons come from the hardest battles.” For her, fear had two meanings: “Forget everything and run, or Face everything and rise. I chose the latter,” she says.
As a cancer fighter, she has seen the shadow of death from a very close distance. Today, she stands tall before you after undergoing painful bruises, wounds, and scars on her body. The trauma has torn her, yet this unexpected jolt has made her stronger and more resilient, teaching her to accept the situation without cribbing.
When she was diagnosed with cancer, it was as though the emergency button of Chaitali’s life had been pressed. Suddenly, she found herself grappling with the uncertainty of my own mortality. It was during this turbulent period that she made a conscious decision to consolidate her scattered efforts and commitments—to leave behind a legacy that would endure long after she was gone.
Battling Cancer with Strength and Determination
“In the face of life’s greatest battles, I discovered my greatest strength. Cancer may have invaded my body, but it could never conquer my spirit.”
The side effects of chemotherapy are best known to those who have experienced the journey. Encountering her hair fall was a shocking experience. Chaitali’s shaven head was filled with blisters and rashes, making it extremely difficult and painful to rest her head on a pillow for several months.
Despite the physical and emotional pain, she chose to embrace her bald look and experimented with various headgear to match her attire and personality. “I didn’t want to give up—I was determined to show strength to onlookers and challenge myself with the resilience life demanded of me,” she says.
Chaitali remembers vividly: After her 8-and-a-half-hour surgery, the next morning by 9 AM, she was ready, wearing her lipstick and eyelashes. The doctor was both amused and surprised. “For me, being confident and presentable is crucial, even in the face of adversity,” she quips.
Radiation sessions burned her to the extent that even the breeze would hurt her skin. However, through it all, she held onto her belief that adversity reveals our true potential.
Supporting Family Amidst Personal Struggles
“Every challenge I face is a testament to my resilience. Despite my own illness, I find strength in caring for my critically ill husband and continuing our shared dreams.”
Amid Chaitali’s battle with cancer, she stood as a caregiver to her critically ill husband. Once a fitness freak and robust man, he faced a series of health setbacks—heart stent placement, kidney failure, dialysis, pneumonia, recurring lung issues, strokes, and tuberculosis, among others. His drastic weight loss and depression added to the challenges.
“Together, we endured these hardships, supported by my compassionate sister, who stood by us like an angel,” says Chaitali.
Thriving with Purpose and Passion
“Cancer may challenge my body, but it will never diminish my will to make a difference. My journey is about more than survival; it’s about thriving against all odds.”
Despite the pain, Chaitali found healing in helping others. “My pain fades away by my purpose,” she says. Through her humanitarian initiatives, she transforms struggles into strength, rising each day with purpose and passion.
She fights not just for herself but for her husband, their business, and the thousands of people and extended family dependent on them for their livelihood. “The humanitarian causes I address through the Rakshak Foundation fuel my soul,” claims Chaitali.
Achievements and Recognition of Chaitali Das
*International and National Honors:
- Felicitated as the ‘International Green Ambassador’ by H.E. Sheikh Muhammad Al Zarooni (2-time Guinness World Record Holder) at his palace in Dubai.
- Recipient of awards from:
- Vice President of India, H.E. Sri Jagdeep Dhankar.
- Former Governor of West Bengal, H.E. Shri Kesrinath Tripathy.
- Mayor of Kolkata.
- MSME Bangalore.
- Recognized with:
- ‘Women of Excellence’ by WEF, Hague, Netherlands.
- ‘Times Power Women’ for Philanthropy & Social Entrepreneurship by Times of India.
- ‘Social Icon of the Year’ by Economic Times and HRD India.
- Former Mrs. International Title Holder represented India as a finalist in UAE, winning the crown in the above-35-year-old category.
*Professional Roles:
- Founder of the label ‘Jute Story–Beyond Bars’.
- Chairperson & Managing Director, Route2Jute Pvt. Limited – incubated by Indian Institute of Management, Centre of Innovation Park, GOI.
- Signatory Member of UN Women and UNGC.
- Speaker and presenter at the World Economic Forum, HQ Geneva, as part of a business delegation from India invited by the Indian Embassy in Switzerland and organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce.
*Leadership and Delegation:
- Led the first-ever Indian all-women delegation to China.
- Led the first-ever delegation representing an Indian non-profit voluntary organization to China for two consecutive years under the aegis of the Chinese Consulate in Kolkata.
- First Indian to receive a Certificate of Appreciation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China, for contributions to a poverty alleviation initiative near the Vietnam border.
- Part of the Indian business delegation with the President of India, H.E. Sri Ram Nath Kovind, to Sofia (Bulgaria) and Prague (Czech Republic) under the aegis of the President’s Office and FICCI.
- Represented India at the White House as a Fortune Most Powerful Woman (MPW) US/State Department alumna, where she exchanged dialogues with Ivanka Trump and other powerful women leaders.
- Represented Bengal as the only woman in the Indian delegation to the Canada 150 Business Summit under the aegis of the Canadian Ambassador to India and the Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
*Speaker and Global Representation:
- Speaker at the Istanbul Summit under the aegis of the Turkish Embassy.
- Participated in the SAARC Summit in Sri Lanka and BIMSTEC in India.
- Presented Jute as a lifestyle product on the ramp alongside international fashionistas and entrepreneurs at the prestigious Central Asia Fashion (CAF) in Kazakhstan under the aegis of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry and the Indian Chamber of Commerce.
*Innovations and Projects:
- Innovated vegan, plant-based wool products from Jute, launched by the Indian Ambassador in Greece at a Buyers-Seller Meet in Athens organized by the National Jute Board of India.
- Completed a pilot project under the guidance of the National Jute Board of India.
*Media and Advocacy:
- Produced a debut documentary short film, ‘Jute Story Beyond Bars’, which has won multiple national and international awards for promoting the social inclusion of released prisoners and elevating Jute to the world stage as an eco-friendly lifestyle product.
*Humanitarian Focus:
- Dedicated her life to serving humanity, with a focus on:
- Women empowerment.
- Reformation of prison inmates targeting reintegration and social inclusion.
- Reviving Jute as a sustainable and eco-friendly material.
Leaving a Legacy
“In the midst of medication and treatments, I find my healing in helping others, transforming struggles into strength.”
To preserve her journey and contributions, Chaitali has documented her milestones in a pictorial coffee table book. PAATRANI – The Queen of Jute, The Coffee Table Book depicts Chaitali’s journey, and milestones achieved while reviving Bengal’s golden fibre through prisoners’ reformation.
From rural Bengal’s fields to the world’s most prestigious stages—SAARC, BIMSTEC, the World Economic Forum—she urges the world to recognize through the lens of humanity of whose creativity blooms in the darkness, proving that reformation is possible. Prisoners art, performances, and words become catalysts for an inclusive society—a place where even the forgotten have a chance to rise, to contribute, and to thrive.
Her voice echoes from beauty pageants to the spiritual shores of Ganga Sagar, from Central Asia’s fashion runways to Guinness World Records. Every jute thread she promotes connects the Earth’s resources to human dignity, weaving a future where heritage and innovation walk hand in hand. She transforms the barriers into milestones, launching the woolenized jute in Greece and showcasing in Berlin Germany to the world audience.
Her leadership is about creating an enduring impact—where every voice, and every effort counts. She calls the world to join her, to embrace sustainability not just as a trend but as a way of life. She is on a mission to weave a world where humanity and nature thrive together, where confinement is replaced with opportunity. Her efforts are immortalized in an award-winning documentary, showcased across 13 countries, making an indelible mark on hearts and minds. and where Bengal’s golden legacy becomes a gift for generations to come.
Through her work, she aspires to survive and thrive, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, compassion, and purpose.
Finally, she calls on the world to join her in embracing sustainability not just as a trend but as a way of life. She is on a mission to weave a world where humanity and nature thrive together, where confinement is replaced with opportunity. Her efforts are immortalized in an award-winning documentary showcased across 13 countries, making an indelible mark on hearts and minds. And where Bengal’s golden legacy will become a gift for generations to come.
The path of leadership is forged through challenges; her mission is her crown. At the heart of her journey lies the revival of Bengal’s golden fibre.
From rural Bengal’s fields to the world’s most prestigious stages—SAARC, BIMSTEC, the World Economic Forum—she urges the world to be recognized through the lens of humanity, whose creativity blooms in the darkness, proving that reformation is possible. Their art, performances, and words become catalysts for an inclusive society—a place where even the forgotten have a chance to rise, contribute, and thrive.
Her voice echoes from beauty pageants to the spiritual shores of Ganga Sagar, from Central Asia’s fashion runways to Guinness World Records. Every jute thread she promotes connects the Earth’s resources to human dignity, weaving a future where heritage and innovation walk hand in hand. She transforms the barriers into milestones, launching the woolenized jute in Greece.
For further information, visit https://jutestory.in/ or contact +917439967423 or email – info@jutestory.in.
