PEOPLE
Our team is a tight ecosystem of passionate individuals driven by a shared vision to create meaningful change. Based in our Ahmedabad atelier, our core team, led by Rebecca Reubens and Rohit Tyagi, is a dedicated collective of design and prototyping experts committed to sustainable luxury.
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REBECCA REUBENS
Dr. Rebecca Reubens is an alumna of NIFT Delhi and NID Ahmedabad in India. She completed her PhD on the links between sustainability, craft and design at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. She continues to remain engaged with this area through her practice at Rhizome, the sustainability design studio she founded in 2009. Rhizome works in the space of sustainable luxury through its eponymous label, and its consultancy projects.
Rebecca has worked with bamboo for over 2 decades, and she is a World Bamboo Ambassador for the World Bamboo Organization. She teaches at design schools across India because she believes in never missing the opportunity to be educated and to educate. She is the author of several publications, and is currently working on an edited volume on craft in India for Routledge.
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ROHIT TYAGI
Col Rohit Tyagi joined Rhizome in 2022 as a co-founder, and immediately was the piece we had been missing at the studio. His infectious enthusiasm contributes to an environment filled with positive vibes and genuine smiles. He handles most of Rhizome’s behind-the-scenes operations, and is the best person in a crisis. Given his intuitive understanding of structure, and the role he plays in troubleshooting production issues at the studio, we’re glad to have him on board.
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RATAN CHANDRA PAL
Ratan Chandra Pal has been working with Rebecca Reubens for two decades now. He is her original partner in crime and Rhizome’s in-house bamboo expert. He's the go-to person for everyone, infusing our designs with brilliance through collaborative processes and countless discussions. Ratan is our rock, our constant companion on this creative journey. Rhizome without him? Unimaginable.
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SARGAM
Some people don’t need a last name. Sargam is one of them. He has a larger than life personality but spends most of his time working quietly at his bench. He has taught us a thing or two about metal-working and costing. We constantly learn from him, and he loves being the professor.
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PRAKASH VANIA
Prakashbhai has been with us ever since Rhizome began. He began as a peon and then joined our prototyping team. He still moonlights as a giver of tea because he does make the best chai in the world. He is super reliable, and we would trust him with our lives. Rhizome is home to him, and he is family to us.
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AJIJ HUSSAIN
Ajij is a textile worker who joined us when he was laid off during the pandemic. We believed this would be a short stint, but he picked up bamboo work like it was second nature to him. Ajij doesn’t plan on leaving Rhizome or bamboo anytime soon. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
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NANDINI JAIN
Nandini is an alumna of the Indian Institute of Craft and Design. She joined Rhizome for her graduation project, where her work with us took her to the final shortlist for the Lexus Design Awards in 2023. She stayed on as a full-time member of our design team. Nandini is a self-motivated self-starter who we know is going places. For the moment though, that place is with us.
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NAMISHA BAJPAI
Namisha is an alumna of the Symbiosis Institute of Design, Pune. She joined Rhizome for her graduation project, and returned a hot minute later to join our team full-time. She has a way with words, and with making esoteric concepts connect. Very glad to have her onboard with her great work ethic, and super design sense.
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JEEL PATEL
Jeel is an interior designer and architect who joined us as an intern, and stayed on. She has an impeccable will to learn, manage people, and get things done minus social media. She truly is our behind-the-scenes star, helping actualize our projects with her coordination and commitment.
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ABHILASHA TRIVEDI
Abhilasha is an alumna of Banasthali Vidyapith. She has been with Rhizome for almost a decade. Abhilasha is our go-to for backend work because she ensures that everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.
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RITIK SRIVASTAV
Ritik handles logistics and accounts at Rhizome. He is our go-to inspiration for innovative ringtones reminiscent of his hometown Banaras. His hard-working attitude and dedication have made him the backbone of our studio. From managing the intricate web of supplies to crunching numbers with precision, Ritik simply put, is our knight on a red bike.
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INTERNS
At Rhizome, our design team always includes talented interns from institutions across the country. We often joke that these internships are their personal finishing school because of the sheer hard work the studio puts in to teach them everything we know. The reason we do this is because there were lots of people who mentored and taught Rebecca, and this is her pay-it-forward. This is why, from brainstorming to bringing concepts to life, our interns become an integral part of the creative process. Together, we foster a dynamic environment where growth and creativity thrive.
GET IN TOUCH
Do you have a project you think we might be perfect for? Is there an idea or a query that you want to discuss with us?
Email us at info.rhizome@gmail.com or rohityagi@gmail.com, and our team will come back to you. Let's get together and bring your design dreams to life.