Source: iamin.in
(L-R) Yash, Delzaad, Sanvar, Sumit, Jahaan, Chirag, Avnish - the seven partners in Boheco.
In a small office tucked away in the bylanes of Lower Parel, seven men sit brainstorming over ideas to foster the growth of an industry which is currently a dying means of rural livelihood. Bombay Hemp Company (Boheco), the brainchild of seven 20-somethings from HR College of Commerce and Economics, looks at developing the cannabis plant such that it is used to fulfil the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter.
Delzaad Deolaliwala, 24, co-founder of Boheco, talks about the beginnings of their journey down the green lane. About five years ago, all the seven partners wanted to do a business, but did not know the industry they wanted to enter. Jahaan Peston Jamas, 25, co-founder, returned from a visit to Australia, and got back the idea of entering the hemp industry. “We also read an article which said that 70 per cent of the Indian workforce is agricultural. However, their contribution to the economy is a mere 13-14 per cent. And thus came the idea of venturing into agriculture and empowering farmers. Research regarding hemp cultivation and hemp products began in 2012. By the end of 2012, we quit our jobs and by January 2013, Boheco was founded. Our goal was to develop hemp as an economical crop,” says Delzaad.
The firm has research and commercial functions. The research end works on developing the optimum quality of the hemp seed and standardising it, breeding out the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) to the permissible 0.3 per cent and economising the production. While another function, the commercial one, involves the introduction of hemp products, including skincare, seeds, oil and cloth among urban buyers.
Sumit Shah, 23, co-founder, says, “The hemp seeds are now a certified product. The hemp fabric is now sold under our label, The Hemp Couture, which includes handloom fabric made by 25 families comprising hemp farmers. The hemp building material, called hempcrete, is still under research. If developed, it will be a light-weight building material and is one of the only green building materials in our country.” The aim of Boheco founders, however, is not just to make profits. They adopted 25 families of hemp farmers, and currently market and sell their products. What was produced for use among the community by these farmers, has been taken to markets by the company.
The stigma related to the cannabis plant did not make their process of getting government approvals a difficult one. Avnish Pandya, 24, co-founder, added that government officials were very supportive. “We talked to the licensing department officials about our plans and operations very specifically, showed them some of our sample products, and realised that they just lacked knowledge about the uses of hemp plants and their potential as an industry. Once we clarified our objectives and the legality of our work, we were actively helped to get the required licenses,” he adds. According to Avnish, the government's openness to the hemp industry is a sigh of relief, given that there is currently no organised plantation and cultivation of the hemp plant in India, while in many other countries, it is an established industry.
This team of hemp lovers has big plans for the future. They have been given support by many fellowships, including the Ashoka Foundation fellowship, Ink fellowship and Rajiv Circle fellowship. They have also been made a part of the Innovation Centre for Natural Fibres (ICNF), formed by National Institute of Design, wherein research on finding commercially viable uses of natural fibres, such as coir, hemp, banana fibre and pineapple fibre, is undertaken. Having completed two years since its inception, Boheco is now going places. “We have to research more to achieve our ultimate goal of developing and standardising the ideal hemp seed in India. For a start-up, a team of seven is a large one. But, then again, we weren't starting just any company, we are tapping into a wholly unexplored industry,” Delzaad concludes.
Sanvar Oberoi, 24, Yash Kotak, 24 and Chirag Tekchandaney, 24, form the other members of this young team, wanting to start an entire new industry.
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