Mumbai Grandma, 73, Turns Crochet Into Global Business

At 7 pm on a Tuesday evening, most people are winding down their workday. But Chandraprabha Parihar had just finished a 10-day crochet project and was already thinking about her next design.

The 73-year-old Mumbai resident has turned a lockdown hobby into a thriving business that ships handmade crochet items across India and to six countries. With over 160,000 Instagram followers and around 50 custom orders each month, she's redefining what retirement can look like.

Chandraprabha learned to crochet in school but spent decades raising her family and managing household duties. When the 2020 lockdown hit, her daughter-in-law Swati had recently left her IT job to spend more time at home, finally giving Chandraprabha time to revisit her craft.

Swati started photographing her mother-in-law's creations and posting them on Instagram. Those first posts got around 50 likes, which thrilled them both. The following grew steadily, and orders started arriving.

In 2023, they formally launched their brand "Nayher," named after the Hindi word for a married woman's childhood home, where Chandraprabha first learned to stitch. The tougher the design, the more she enjoys it.

Her biggest challenge was creating an Alia Bhatt-inspired jacket, her first attempt at making a jacket. "Getting the neck patterns right was difficult, but I think I managed it well," she says. That jacket became one of their bestsellers.

Customer Deepika Sharma ordered the jacket for her birthday in March 2024. "Just to wear something that is made with so much love is amazing," Sharma says. "The fabric is great, the quality is great, and to see the effort that has gone into the process is very touching."

Why This Inspires

Chandraprabha's story reminds us that dreams don't have expiration dates. Three decades ago, she completed a stitching course and dreamed of starting her own business, but family responsibilities took priority. Now, with her children's support, she's finally realizing that vision.

Her home overflows with colorful crochet threads in reds, oranges, blues, and purples. Unfinished designs mix with half-complete pieces and neatly packed creations waiting to ship around the world.

While Chandraprabha handles the creative work, Swati manages the digital side, posting videos and handling order requests. The partnership between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law has created something special that bridges generations and continents.

"I'm never scared to try a new design," Chandraprabha says. "I am always confident that I can do it." For this 73-year-old entrepreneur, the day ends only when every stitch sits right and every pattern passes her careful scrutiny.

Sometimes the best time to start something new is right now, no matter how many birthdays you've celebrated.