Learning, Networking, and New Perspectives at MSME Sparks 2026

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Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the MSME Sparks 2026 Grand Finale in Bengalurua melting pot of founders, investors, and ecosystem enablers. Amidst the insightful discussions on AI and digital transformation, two narratives resonated with me on a deeply personal level as the founder of Madhubani Arts India: the stories of Nalli and Shobitam.

Listening to Lavanya Nalli and Aparna Thyagarajan back-to-back felt like witnessing the two pillars of modern Indian craft: Legacy and Agility.

Nalli, under the stewardship of Lavanya Nalli, represents the pinnacle of heritage. Hearing her speak, I was reminded of how a brand with nearly a century of history can remain relevant. Lavanya, an alumna of Anna University (Computer Science) and Harvard Business School, brought a rigorous, professional approach to the family firm. Her experience at McKinsey & Company and Myntra helped her bridge the gap between traditional saree retailing and the digital-first expectations of today’s consumer. She proved that when you honor a legacy—like the iconic 'MS Blue'—while applying modern institutional processes, you don’t just preserve the past; you build a foundation that can weather any market shift.

On the other side of the spectrum was Aparna Thyagarajan, co-founder of Shobitam. Her journey is a blueprint for the modern D2C founder. With a formidable background in tech, including over a decade at Microsoft in the US, she didn't just launch a brand; she built a tech-enabled supply chain to "democratize ethnic fashion globally." Her transition from the corporate corridors of Seattle to empowering artisans across India is a powerful reminder that our traditional crafts are high-value global assets waiting for the right digital infrastructure.

The event was also marked by the voices of several other visionary leaders who are shaping the MSME landscape. It was incredibly inspiring to hear from Giedrius Zakaitis (CEO of Hostinger), who emphasized the scale of digital presence; Nikhila Gudipati (Google Cloud), who highlighted the role of cloud-driven innovation; Dibyanshu Tripathi (Founder of Hexalog), who showcased operational excellence; and Shivani Muthanna (YourStory), who continues to champion the stories of those building the future of Bharat.

The Synthesis: Innovation as a Guardian of Tradition

As I lead Madhubani Arts India, I often grapple with the balance between the ancient and the modern. How do we keep the centuries-old stories of Mithila alive while navigating the demands of a global e-commerce world?

The insights from these leaders provided the answer: Technology should be the guardian of authenticity, not its replacement.

Whether it is Nalli’s sophisticated approach to every-day value or Shobitam’s tech-enabled model for empowering artisans, the lesson is clear: Branding and digital storytelling are the vehicles that allow our heritage to travel. For us at Madhubani Arts India, every hand-painted saree or journal is a vessel for history. Innovation—whether through AI-driven personalization, global digital outreach, or efficient operations—doesn't change the art; it ensures the artist survives and the story reaches the generation that needs to hear it most.

Beyond the Stage

The most profound moments, however, happened off-stage. Networking with fellow founders reminded me that whether you are a 98-year-old legacy brand or a modern D2C startup, the challenges of sustainable scaling and brand-building are universal.

A heartfelt thank you to YourStory and the entire MSME Sparks team for curating such a vital community. I return to my studio in Yelahanka not just with fresh ideas, but with the conviction that by blending the timeless precision of Mithila art with the forward-thinking strategies I saw this week, we are not just selling products—we are securing the future of our culture.

Patna roads get a makeover: Mithila and other art forms adorn the streets of the historical city

Patna roads get a makeover

Patna, one of the oldest continuously inhabited place in the world, a centre of culture and once the greatest city on earth, as described by Megasthenes (the Greek ambassador to India), started losing its glory in last few decades. Because of the increase in population and loose administration, the city was falling into disarray. According to the 2011 census, approximately 1.68 million people reside in Patna which leads to chaotic traffic, low-quality lifestyle and unimaginable garbage.

Around 900 metric tonnes of garbage is generated in the city daily. Patna also stands high when it comes to dust. It was ranked 262 in cleanliness in India (According to Swachh Survekshan 2017 Rankings).

The above statistics are some of the reasons that Patna needs to give cleanliness a priority. Realising the same, Patna Municipal Corporation started a number of initiatives to eradicate the evil of dirtiness and give the people of Patna the best possible living experience.

Walls on Patna footpaths painted in vibrant colours

Door to Door garbage collection, waste management plant to produce energy from the waste, re-colouring of road dividers, footpaths, golambers, etc are some of them. Adding up to the list, painting of numerous location of Patna with Mithila and other art forms is a great initiative to rejuvenate our city and turn it into a beautiful place.

Mithila and other art forms adorn the walls

Yes, you heard it right more than 30 locations around the historical city of Patna is getting a makeover by cleaning, revamping and painting the different areas. The initiative has been taken by Patna Municipal Corporation to turn the city into a clean and beautiful place. The project has been going on since last three months and is estimated to be completed soon. More than ten teams of over 500 people have been given the responsibility to complete the task. Some of these painters are professionals like artists who are invited from Madhubani whereas a large number of these artists are students, studying in Patna Art College.

More than 500 people were involved in this project

As many as ten teams deployed to beautify the roads

“The project is aimed to eradicate the habit of people who urinate here and there, and change their mentality to keep our city clean and healthy” – Vishal Mishra, artist.

The paintings depict many religious and historical events related to Bihar like wedding of Hindu Lord Ram and Sita, the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh who was born in Patna and many more. Apart from that, these wall paintings also carry message of cleanliness in pictorial forms. These paintings encourage the citizens of the city to adopt a clean and non-polluting way of living and to keep their surroundings clean.

Patna roads get a makeover

An initiative by the Patna Municipal Corporation

Lot of these roads have also become selfie spots.

The initiative of painting the city with Mithila and other art forms has got a very good response from the people of Patna. It has become a selfie spot. You can find people taking selfies with the wall and uploading it into the different social media platforms with pride and joy. Better late than never, we must appreciate the great initiative of Patna Municipal Corporation and hope that our city will very soon be transformed into a kind of paradise.

Most artists are students studying in Patna Arts College

The paintings depict various religious and historical events that took place here

Many paintings also carry messages like importance of cleanliness

While the administration has given us these beautiful walls around the city, the responsibility of keeping these walls this way lies upon us, the general public of Patna. We need to be more sincere towards cleanliness and must let go of the habit of littering here and there and spitting pan or gutkha on the walls. Public urination continues to be a menace in the city. While the city administration needs to increase the number of public toilets to fight this menace, the people too will have to change and use the available facilities. We hope that the beauty and cleanliness of this city will last forever with the joint efforts of the administration and the public.

Note: Source Article by Satyam Kumar and published on patnabeats.com.