Metal handcrafts reviver P-TAL emerged as the runner-up at the first-ever Startup Pitch Competition held during the India Conference at Harvard 2025.
In the narrow alleys of Amritsar in Punjab, India, the rhythmic clinking of copper once echoed through artisan quarters. The sound of hand-hammering and beating metal sheets to create common household products like copper and brass plates, water vessels (lotas), cooking pots (handis), and tumblers by local coppersmiths or “thatheras” as they are called in Hindi was as much rooted in centuries-old craftsmanship, as in the living tradition of the place. However, the skill began seeing an early demise as driven by convenience, people embraced mass-produced plastic wares — a fleeting trend that reflected the rise of disposable living and the decline of mindful consumption.
But in a refreshing turn of events, a quiet revolution is taking place in the by lanes of Jandiala Guru, a quaint town along the iconic Grand Trunk Road in Amritsar. Here, families of artisans are seeing a rekindled hope in the craft their ancestors honed to perfection as P-TAL, a new-age Indian brand, headquartered in the historic city, is turning the spotlight back on the ancient craft with a vision that marries heritage with innovation.
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The results are already showing – the craft inscribed on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014 was under the threat of being removed, given the depleting number of artisans but after P-TAL’s revival efforts, UNESCO has decided to retain it on the list. More recently, P-TAL impressed the jury at the India Conference at Harvard 2025 with its bold vision and business potential. As one of the standout ventures redefining tradition through enterprise, P-TAL’s journey was a highlight of the live pitch session on February 16th at Harvard Business School.
Today, what began as a humble college project in the classrooms of Delhi’s SRCC college has grown into a brand that now touches the lives of 80 artisan families — increasing their monthly incomes by over 1200% in just three years.
In a candid conversation with The American Bazaar, Aditya Agrawal, CEO at P-TAL passionately talks about this venture that goes far beyond commerce. He says, “The vision was always about creating livelihoods, restoring pride, and building a sustainable ecosystem for India’s vanishing coppersmith communities.”
Agrawal, all of 24, an economics graduate from Delhi’s Shri Ram College of Commerce takes care of marketing and brand-building. His two other partners — Kirti Goel, COO at P-TAL, takes care of design development and Gaurav Garg, the CPO of the brand, takes care of supply chain management.
The story begins
Recalling early days of the brand, Agrawal says, “The project took shape as a college project. We realized that it had potential but there were certain roadblocks.” About the coming together of the three founders, he says, “Both Kirti and Gaurav are five years senior to me and brought along their own unique expertise. While working on P-TAL as a college project we realized that design development is a key factor to take this vision ahead but we had no money to hire a designer. At this stage we met Kirti, who is a friends’ sister and a design professional. She very graciously got onboard and worked pro-bono for the initial 8-12 months. With her help, we were able to develop initial designs.”
He adds, “Then we realized another hurdle — it was difficult to manage artisans. We realized the artisans wouldn’t listen to two people — youngsters like us and women! And this is where Gaurav Garg stepped in. Gaurav has a civil services background, he has worked with the Punjab government in the mining department and brought a wealth of wisdom to the venture. He also left his stable job and dived straight into production and supply chain, not for money but because he believed in the vision.”
Funding and investments
Agrawal informs that the venture began as a social entrepreneurship model while in college. “Our major concern at that time was how to make it into a model where these artisans who were making just about Rs. 2000 per month (approx. $23) earn a more livable earning. We began by going to exhibits to inform more people about the craft. But everywhere we went, we made it a point to be careful with our positioning of the artisans. We did not want people to buy these products out of pity for the artisans, but to appreciate the craftsmanship,” says Agrawal.
But just when the vision was shaping up, COVID-19 pandemic hit, posing new challenges for the trio. Agrawal says, “We thought that our project would shut but surprisingly, Covid acted as a game-changer. People became more conscious of health and discovered benefits of ancient practices including eating in brass and copper utensils. People were also spending more time in the kitchen and cooking their own food and our demands started seeing an incline. We realized it was time to scale up and all three of us took Rs 10 lakhs (approx. $12,000) each from our parents to take this venture ahead. Our first website was set up in the middle of the pandemic in 2020.”
The business, which started without the trio expecting any returns, grew rapidly. Agrawal says, “In the first year, our business grew 4X [times]. At this stage, it was totally a boot strap venture with no venture capital raised. Our sales are completely organic. We were selling through only our website. In fact, we got on Amazon too late.” He adds, “The next year, in 2022, the business grew 3X [times].”
The passion project for the founders is now on the cusp of a major milestone. Agrawal says, “Today we are able to generate the sale in a single day that we used to generate in an entire year when we were working on it at a college level.”
According to sources, the brand is in advanced talks to raise INR 30 Cr or approximately $3.5 million in its pre-Series A funding round. The round will be led by a prominent venture capital firm — the name of which remains undisclosed — and will also see participation from existing backers Titan Capital, Anicut Capital, and a group of angel investors.
Recalling the short but eventful journey Agrawal says, “It was in October 2023 that we completed our first round of funding and currently we are already closing our second funding round.” About the numbers, Agrawal says, “Let’s just say, we are seeing a growth of 10x [times] from last time.”
According to industry reports, the new round of capital is expected to push P-TAL’s post-money valuation to INR 150 Cr or around $17 million. Agrawal also proudly states the confidence investors have shown in the product. “We provided an option to investors to exit if they would want to but all of them have decided to stay,” he smiles.
The impact closer home
Aside from business jargons and economic growth, the faces behind the brand seem to revel in the positive impact the movement has brought on the grass root level. Aditya says, “It is satisfying to know that the artisans who were making about Rs 2000 [$23] till a few years ago are making up to Rs 60,000 [$700] and in some cases up to 100,000 [about $1200]. Earlier most of these artisans were living in kacha houses [temporary mud houses] but now their living conditions have improved and they are able to better provide for their families.”
P-TAL’s product range masterfully fuses traditional handcrafted copperware with modern design sensibilities, resonating deeply with today’s mindful consumers. Every item embodies a rich narrative of heritage, skilled artistry, and cultural pride — serving not only as a practical household essential but also as a cherished collectible.
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On asking what was the inspiration behind P-TAL, Agrawal says, “While researching at college we realized that this artform needed an urgent form of interruption. There was also great potential. Most handicrafts end up as home décor pieces but this was something functional and utilitarian.”
The young visionaries are also upbeat about taking up newer challenges and opportunities. About their recent participation at the Harvard India Conference, he says, “We went with the thought that even if we get a chance to pitch our products that would mean a lot. It was great that the judges found it worthy. Also, our mission aligned so well with the theme of the conference – taking India to the world.”
Cracking the US market
The brand began selling their products about eight to 10 months back. But today the U.S. market occupies a major part of their business. Agrawal says, “We noticed that we were getting a lot of organic interest from the U.S.” Perhaps the health-driven practice of using copper and brass vessels caught on in the U.S. before spreading elsewhere as the founders realized through queries that a lot of people in the U.S. are already aware of the benefits of the metals.
Agarwal says, “We found that about $200 billion of brass and copper is exported to the U.S. annually and most of this share is sold by Italian or French brands so we thought why can’t an Indian brand sell there?”
However, as one would assume that most of this customer base would be Indian households in America, Agrawal confirms that 40% of their demands come from non-Indian households. “Once we cracked the market, we began providing what the consumers needed. For instance, our products in the U.S. are not just ‘karahi’ or ‘handi’ [Indian cookware like woks] but we promote a lot of our dutch ovens or stew pots or pasta bowls, which makes it easier to attract the American consumers.”
While the brand has already established a brick and mortar store in New Delhi; in the U.S. they have a local warehouse near Delaware and every item is ordered and shipped within three days. The brand is continuing to expand and Agarwal has plans to ensure that: “Today, we are working with 80 artisans and our next aim is to employ 1000 artisans – to truly revolutionize the startup landscape.”
Seeing the passion, it’s clear: the timeless art of the thatheras is no longer a relic of the past — it’s the beating heart of a new, sustainable future.