Cultural legacy meets modern enterprise at Dawoodi Bohra business expo in Pune

The Saifee Burhani Expo by the Dawoodi Bohra community was held from January 4 to 6 in Pune.

Written by: SAKINA VANAK

3 min readPuneJan 7, 2025 03:45 PM IST First published on: Jan 7, 2025 at 03:45 PM IST

The fourth edition of the Saifee Burhani Expo in Pune, a three-day event organised by the Dawoodi Bohra community which finished on Monday, showcased the blend of cultural heritage and modern entrepreneurship, bringing together around 170 exhibitors from India and abroad. These included multi-generational family businesses, innovative startups, and social enterprises.

The event was inaugurated on January 4 by Shahzada Husain Burhanuddin, son of His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, with Rahul Kirloskar, chairman of Kirloskar Pneumatic Industries, as the chief guest. Also present were Umesh Shah, president of the BJP Vyapari Agadi, and Fatehchand Ranka, president of the Federation Trade Association of Pune.

In his keynote address, Shahzada Husain Burhanuddin encouraged the Dawoodi Bohra community members to uphold their entrepreneurial spirit while maintaining their values of honesty, integrity, and positive societal impact.

The expo was a blend of cultural heritage and modern entrepreneurship, bringing together around 170 exhibitors from India and abroad. (Express Image)

“Success in business is not just measured by profit, but by the integrity with which we conduct our affairs and the positive impact we have on people and society,” he said. Rahul Kirloskar praised the Dawoodi Bohra community’s dedication to innovation and collaboration. “This expo serves as a remarkable platform that reflects the Bohra community’s enduring values of collaboration, innovation, and enterprise sustainability,” he said.

The Saifee Burhani Expo also featured young women entrepreneurs who have turned their passions into thriving startups alongside multi-generational family businesses with decades of legacy. Businesses showcasing their products ranged from traditional textiles, artisanal crafts, and gourmet food to cutting-edge hardware and eco-friendly solutions.

Happy Threads, a business specialising in unique handcrafted products, gained significant attention. The business attempts to create sustainable income streams for women and to empower them to become confident, financially independent, and enterprising—all from the ease of their homes. The Happy Threads artisan count today is above 5,553 from 190 villages, towns, and cities all over India. Numerous workshops have been conducted for the artisans to uplift and nurture their crochet skills as well as their soft skills for overall development.

The expo also showcased how the community supports local artisans and promotes sustainability. Many social enterprises collaborated with artisans to bring their crafts to a larger audience.

Hussain Kanchwala, a Pune-based glass trader, said, “The response was amazing. We met so many people, learnt about other brands, and even struck a few business deals. Our family business has been in the market for over 35 years, and this expo was a great opportunity to showcase our offerings.”