Rebecca Reubens

Dr. Rebecca Reubens is an alumna of NIFT, Delhi and NID, Ahmedabad. While she was convinced she was not academically inclined, she surprised herself by thoroughly enjoying her PhD research at Delft University of Technology at the intersection of craft, design, and sustainability. She continues her professional practice in this domain through her sustainability design studio called Rhizome.

She has worked with bamboo for over two decades now, and it remains her expertise and material of choice. She is a World Bamboo Ambassador for the World Bamboo Organization.

Rebecca teaches because she believes that the surest way to a sustainable future is to implant the sustainability bug into the designers of the future. She is the author of several publications including a book on bamboo for the Prins Claus Fonds and one on mainstreaming sustainability in craft MSMEs through design for Routledge. She is currently working on an edited volume on craft in India.

Rohit Tyagi

Col Rohit Tyagi joined Rhizome in 2022 as a director, 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—though we must confess on deadline days, he is the single source of this one way happiness. Apart from handling most of the behind-the-scenes operations, one can frequently spot him on the phone, charming clients and production teams, all the while savouring one of the numerous cups of coffee he has during the day. Before he joined the army, he flirted with becoming an architect. Given his intuitive understanding of structure, and the role he has played in troubleshooting production issues at the studio, we do believe it’s a “welcome home!” moment, and that design is where he should be.

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.

Karuna Chandra Pal

Karuna began working with us when she married Ratan Chandra Pal. She only takes us as much work as she can do alongside being the bestest mom in the world and we are amazed by how focussedly she maintains her work-life balance. She still comes through for us whenever we need her so we do think might be a tad fond of us. We must mention that she is a force-feeder and Rebecca Reubens is one of her prime victims.

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.

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.

Ajij Hussain

Ajij is a textile worker who joined us recently when he was laid off. Again, 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. 

Sunil

Step into the workshop and you'll discover Sunil fully immersed in his craft. With every stroke and bend, Sunil breathes life into bamboo, creating stunning pieces. His will to learn, dedication, and passion make him an invaluable asset to us.  He is an expert in bamboo construction and a romantic at heart.

Khushali, Sunita, Laxmi

Meet our delightful trio of young women who never fail to light up our studio with their contagious smiles. Eager to soak up knowledge and ever ready for new experiences, they embody the importance of adaptability in our rapidly changing world. As we play our part in upskilling and empowering these courageous women, they reciprocate by supporting us wholeheartedly. Together, we know that we're unstoppable! 

Nandini Jain

Nandini is a product design graduate from the Indian Institute of Craft and Design, who first joined us for her graduation project last year. Her work with us took her to the final shortlist for the Lexus Design Awards, and she returned as a full-time member of our team. Nandini is a self-motivated powerhouse of design and is so highly-motivated and professional that we know this one is going places. For the moment though, that place is with us.

Namisha Bajpai

Namisha is an industrial design graduate from Symbiosis Institute of Design, Pune. She joined us during her graduation project and returned a hot minute later to join our team full-time. This one is an old soul. She has a way with words, a way with smiles, and a way with making things connect. Very glad to have her onboard with her great ne’er say die attitude, great work ethic, and super design sense. 

Vaidehi Rajput

The newest addition to the Rhizome clan, Vaidehi is a lifestyle accessory designer who graduated from the Khyati School of Design. With the experience of working with diverse materials, she brings fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to our design team. We can’t wait to work with her because we know that together, we're bound to create something truly amazing.

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-back. 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.

Ritik Srivastav

Ritik handles logistics and accounting 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.