Maria Niveditha, the founder of Zhalkesi, started the brand as a way of staying rooted to her Tamil heritage while channelling her passion for art. Now, the brand is synonymous with traditional Tamil motifs translated into wearable art.
Maria worked in IT for five years as a Data Engineer, but eventually, dissatisfied with her field, did a 360 and changed course entirely, moving towards a handmade-goods business. “I have always had a creative voice inside me, and I felt like it was being tamped down when I worked my corporate job. I have been passionate about making art with my hands since school and college, and I used to sell my goods here and there, but never found enough time to dedicate towards it. I finally decided to quit my job in 2020. I saved money from my IT days and started Zhalkesi,” Maria explains.
With no formal art education, Maria began making jewellery in 2020, but in 2025, she rebranded to Zhalkesi, specialising in contemporary polymer clay jewellery and accessories. “I wanted to use my creative power to tell the story of my land. Born and raised in Tamil Nadu, I wanted to bring its unique aspects to the forefront through wearable art pieces. As for the name, ‘zhal’ is a unique ornament from the Chola empire, and ‘kesi’ is from Kundalakesi, to describe the fleeting moments that pass too soon. Essentially, it’s always good to carry something memorable to remember the time by,” she smiles.
Maria Niveditha, the founder of Zhalkesi
When asked about the inspiration behind starting the brand, Maria details, “I didn’t think twice before starting the brand. I had a creative urge to do something, paired with wanting to express my love for my land. Coming to the actual execution, it took some time to figure out. I love colours, and after a lot of experimentation with different mediums, I found that polymer clay was the best choice for me, in terms of colour options, pliability, cost, and ease of use. It’s very artist-friendly. I realised a few years ago that not everyone wears jewellery just for the heck of it. It’s an extension of people’s personalities, and the same went for me, creating pieces that mean something. It wasn’t easy, but it’s all worth it.”
As with any business, Maria faced her own set of challenges. “Jewellery is a popular field in business, but polymer clay is not a traditionally used medium in the craft. It’s a tricky material, and you won’t readily find people trained to do this. I personally trained both my team members once I fully understood the medium myself and was able to grasp the method properly. As the brand grows, I hope to get more passionate, patient people in the team, as it is a time-consuming, intricate craft that requires a lot of patience and effort. As we sell more, we need more manpower. It is going to be a challenge, but we’re up for it!”
Talking about the brand’s future, Maria dreams of opening a physical store and expanding further. Zhalkesi is going to retail in 10-15 stores across India in 2026, and is already a part of Kaii Madras. In the process of expansion, Maria talks about the lessons that she’s learnt over the years. “To ask for help when necessary is my biggest takeaway from running a business. My son is three, so juggling and balancing the brand and family is a daily learning experience. You’re inevitably going to make mistakes, so just be consistent in your efforts. For someone in the handicraft field, it is important to experiment, learn the ropes, and master the craft before jumping in.”
Starting afresh among a sea of jewellery businesses can be intimidating, but Maria realised she would stand out. “Our innately Tamil creations reflect the culture, plus we add a contemporary touch with the medium we use and the designs we ideate. Recently, at an exhibition, someone made a beeline to our stall asking for our Drishti Poosanikai earrings. It was an amazing feeling, knowing that people recognise our brand and make the connection!”
Drishti Poosanikai earrings
On the topic of keeping up with trends, Maria says she simply doesn’t. “I make it a point not to follow trends because I want our jewellery to be worn for a long time. I know it’s a niche; our pieces attract people with a very particular taste, and that’s fine. Every brand has its audience, and we found ours. Designs like our poosanikai, drishti bommai, or Kapaleeswar temple—all of these are worn by people who have ties to Tamil culture and like quirky, statement pieces.”
Elaborating on the creative process behind the brand, Maria describes, “First, I think of pricing. This is a business, after all, so our work needs to be lucrative, and our audience should be able to buy the pieces. Once we set a budget, I start designing, and then once we determine how much material we need per piece, we go ahead with sourcing. We also recently introduced custom pieces, since polymer clay is so versatile and poses no limitations. Either a customer can request an existing design in a different colour palette, or they can customise an entirely new design.”
Drishti Bommai earrings
Maria hopes to collaborate with artists who have a similar vision to hers to reach more people and tell stories of Tamil Nadu through colours, textures, and designs. “I also want to explore folk stories and folk dance in my pieces in the near future. We might move to different materials eventually, but that would mean more competition. We want to retain our distinctive voice and stick to the same themes of preserving and amplifying Tamil culture. But that’s a story for another time, let’s see how that goes,” she smiles.
Talking about motivation and how she has the push to do this every day, she muses, “I think I have a deep-rooted love for my work, and that’s more than enough. I can barely sleep if I haven’t done something for Zhalkesi that day,” she laughs. “There are days, obviously, when I’m sick or otherwise occupied, but even if, physically, my hands are tied, my mind is always here. The challenges we face make this journey all the more interesting; that’s what keeps me going,” she concludes.
Dabara filter coffee earrings
For further details, check the Zhalkesi website www.zhalkesi.com/
When this story reaches 1000 views we will cover an exclusive of this business.
