ONDC’s DigiHaat and Pearl Academy Partner to Digitally Showcase Stories of India’s Kisans and Karigars
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Student-led initiative to document farmers, artisans and producer communities and present their stories through DigiHaat
DigiHaat, the digital commerce platform by Nirmit Bharat built on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), and Pearl Academy, India’s AI-first design institution, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch a student-led storytelling initiative focused on India’s farmers, artisans and other producer communities.
Under the partnership, Pearl Academy Fashion Communication and other design students will work directly with artisan, farming and producer communities to document their journeys, products, practices and local contexts. The resulting visual and editorial stories will be curated and showcased through DigiHaat.
Students to Take Storytelling to the Field
The initiative will combine field-based learning with digital storytelling and industry engagement.
Key areas of the partnership include:
- Field-led learning: Student cohorts will visit artisan and farming communities in real-world settings to document producer journeys, products, craft traditions and local contexts.
- Digital storytelling and discovery: Selected student stories will be presented across DigiHaat’s digital ecosystem, allowing consumers to discover the people and communities behind the products.
- Industry immersion and mentorship: Students will take part in industry immersion and knowledge-sharing sessions led by DigiHaat experts. Outstanding projects will receive recognition and opportunities for continued mentorship.
The programme builds on Pearl Academy’s emphasis on industry exposure, live projects and hands-on creative learning across areas including Fashion Communication, Styling, Fashion Design, Product, Communication, Textile, Business, Gaming and XR, filmmaking, photography, and visual storytelling.
DigiHaat Expands Digital Commerce Reach
DigiHaat has recorded growing consumer traction since its launch, with monthly order volumes increasing more than 30x as its catalogue expands to include products from businesses and producer communities across India.
The collaboration introduces a storytelling component to the digital commerce platform, with the aim of helping consumers discover the people, communities and contexts connected to the products.
It also builds on ONDC’s work through Amazing India to make products from kisans, karigars and other small producers e-commerce-ready and connect them with demand beyond their immediate markets.
ONDC and Pearl Academy Highlight Producer Stories
Rohit Lohia, Chief Operating Officer, ONDC, said, “Digital commerce is changing who can participate in the market, but the opportunity now is to change who gets discovered within it. India’s producer economy is incredibly diverse, yet much of that diversity remains invisible to consumers beyond local markets. Through our partnership with Pearl Academy, we want to bring a new layer of discovery to that journey, combining the openness of the ONDC ecosystem with the creativity of young storytellers and the reach of DigiHaat.”
Aditi Srivastava, President, Pearl Academy, said, “At Pearl Academy, we believe creative education becomes truly meaningful when students are given the opportunity to engage with the real world and use their creative practice to respond to it. This collaboration gives our students an opportunity to step outside conventional creative briefs and discover stories rooted in India’s communities, crafts and livelihoods — while giving young creators a meaningful platform for their work.”
The partnership is also part of ONDC’s broader Retail approach, which includes focused interventions across the ecosystem such as DigiDukaan for kirana procurement, Amazing India for small producers, D2C Retail for Indian brands and ONDC Food for restaurants and consumers.