Curated by: Deepa Nair
Photographs: Courtesy Nayab
The Traditional Handicrafts Centre (THC), custodian of India’s artisanal heritage for over four decades, has opened Nayab, a 1,300-sq-ft flagship store at Raghuvanshi Mills, Mumbai. Founded in 1962 by Mahender Gupta, the family-run enterprise grew from a modest effort to preserve Jodhpur’s wooden artefacts into a global name, exporting to more than 50 countries and working with 32 sourcing points across India. Now, under its third generation led by siblings Priyank Gupta and Vrinda Agarwal, THC begins a new chapter with Nayab.
Conceived as an intimate gallery, the store showcases heirlooms, antiques, and handcrafted furniture not just as commodities but as cultural narratives—stories of craft, community, and continuity. Vrinda, who is also an interior designer, shaped the store’s interiors to embody this philosophy. Drawing from a modern-heritage idiom, she created a spatial journey that blends contemporary cues with the aura of history. Flooring and wall panels by Reclaimed Flooring Centre (a THC subsidiary that salvages teak from century-old colonial buildings), anchor the space with authenticity and sustainability.
Alongside THC’s signature collection of chests, cabinets, sculptures, and antique furniture, Nayab houses Uraib, a fashion label by Palak Gupta, and Cahree, a mindful living brand by Tanushree Agarwal. Nayab aims to be a cultural touchpoint where India’s artisanal traditions are reinterpreted for a modern audience… bridging heritage with the cosmopolitan energy of Mumbai.
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