Mao Taphou in Senapati district, Manipur, 33-year-old Chokhone Krichena has turned a pandemic-era challenge into a thriving nationwide floral movement that is reshaping livelihoods, championing sustainability, and putting northeast India on the entrepreneurial map.
When COVID-19 lockdowns blocked traditional market access for local flower farmers, Chokhone began drying flowers by hand transforming rare wild and local blooms like Edelweiss daisies, Celosia, Bunny tails, Statice, and Cedrella seeds into biodegradable bouquets, décor pieces, and accessories that looked as beautiful as fresh flowers and lasted for years.
Her craftsmanship was deeply rooted in the region’s natural bounty, with many of the flower varieties growing only on the cool slopes of the Mao hills making every creation uniquely tied to her homeland. Dianthe Private Limited the venture born from that initial experiment has grown into a women-led enterprise that directly employs five people and supports nearly 200 local flower growers, connecting their harvests to homes, events, and marketplaces across 18 Indian states.
What began as social media posts capturing attention has blossomed into floral installations at Imphal Airport and wide recognition for sustainable innovation. By replacing plastics with eco-friendly, biodegradable blooms, Chokhone’s work not only promotes environmental responsibility but also empowers local women through fair and meaningful livelihoods.
Her visionary approach recently won Dianthe the Climate Innovation Award and earned recognition as one of India’s top five startups of 2023, underscoring the impact of her journey from a grassroots idea to a movement that is both beautiful and socially consequential. Chokhone’s inspiring success highlights how traditional resources, community-centric thinking, and sustainable business models can flourish into transformative opportunities blooming hope, employment, and pride for rural India and its talented women leaders.
