Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 13: Born on April 26, 1993, in the weaving village of Periyamanali, Tamil Nadu, Mrs. N. Keerthana’s journey is a testament to resilience, reinvention, and remarkable achievement. Raised alongside her younger brother by parents who, despite lacking formal education, were determined to provide the best opportunities for their children, Keerthana excelled academically from an early age.
A bright student in a government school, she scored 449 out of 500 in SSLC (2008), earning a scholarship to complete her higher secondary education with an ‘A’ in Biology. Initially aspiring to become a doctor, she scored 188 out of 200 in her core subjects (2010). However, due to family circumstances, her career path shifted toward engineering—a field in which she graduated with 80%, becoming the first degree holder in her family.
After marrying Mr. Manikandan and settling in Bangalore, Keerthana rediscovered her passion for Aari embroidery and tailoring. Motherhood briefly paused her professional ambitions, but with her husband’s support, she decided to become an entrepreneur rather than seek employment.
In a city where Aari embroidery was largely male-dominated, she began with small tailoring and embroidery orders from relatives and neighbours. Recognizing the lack of women-focused Aari training centres, she opened Dev Aari Works and Coaching Centre, named after her son. Over the years, she has trained more than 500 women, from homemakers to college students, enabling them to achieve financial independence. Her influence expanded online via her YouTube channel, which has grown to over 50,000 subscribers with her design tutorials and tracing patterns.
Her work caught the attention of Dr. Aravind Lakshminarayanan, National President of the Indian Aari Workers Federation (IAWF), who entrusted her with organizing the 2nd International Aari Workers Conference – 2025 in Bangalore. This historic event brought together over 3,000 women artisans onsite and 2,000 online participants, making it the largest-ever gathering for Aari embroidery in India. The conference also hosted a world record attempt in live Aari embroidery, officially certified by Nobel World Records and the Oscars Book of Records.
The event marked multiple firsts:
● Launch of the IAWF National Flag, symbolizing unity and empowerment of Aari workers.
● Recognition of March 9 as the National Day of Aari Workers.
● National platform for institute owners, trainers, and artisans to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the craft.
At the conference, Mrs. N. Keerthana made history by becoming India’s first person to receive the prestigious Oscars Book of Records Shield, presented by a delegation from South Korea including Yoon Joonseon, Cha Sung Yoon, and Cha Sungguk. She was also awarded the Nobel World Records Certificate by International Adjudicator Dr. Lavanya Jayakar and Maharashtra State Director Deepesh Vishwanath Bhoir.
Recognizing her extraordinary leadership, Keerthana was appointed as State Secretary of the Karnataka Aari Workers Council and National Executive Director of the Pro Aari Olympiad, India’s largest national competition platform for Aari embroidery.
Today, Mrs. N. Keerthana stands as a beacon of inspiration for Aari students, institute owners, and women entrepreneurs across India. Guided by the mentorship of Dr. Aravind Lakshminarayanan, she continues to break barriers, uplift women, and set new benchmarks for the Aari community.
Her journey—from a small weaving village to the international stage—is a story of courage, vision, and the unyielding belief that skills can change lives. And as she steps forward with new dreams and bigger goals, the world watches—because her story is only just beginning.
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Divya Agarwal
