Indian Autumn is a 20-year old art-infused boutique run by the husband-wife duo (Shailen & Vaishali Bhuta) that is passionate about stone. They present you the beauty of natural stone in various shapes, sizes and moods here. Furthermore, Indian Autumn procures and sculpts and wide range of exotic slate, limestone, granite, and mica for an even wider range of customers around the world.
Indian Autumn is always willing to work on specific design briefs and is dedicated to designing ideas that are cost-effective and workable. Experimenting with blending materials like ceramic, glass, wood, and providing guidance for more, Indian Autumn is an affordable and dependable partner to architects looking to provide clients custom-designed spaces that exude originality and beauty.
Murals, Nameplates and Signage, Stylised Flooring, Wall cladding, and speciality gifting are some of the fine products Indian Autumn specializes in. A thorough knowledge of the space and more than 25 years of experience in working with stone enable Indian Autumn to make educated recommendations on all aspects of stone detailing – be it design, maintenance or installation.
Indian Autumn is a respected member of the All India Granite & Stone Association and has familial connections with Mr Y.R. Shah – past President & pioneer of International Stone fairs in India.
Some projects Indian Autumn takes pride in are, to name a few, engraving of the Gandhi Memorial Stone in Boston, designing and engraving the Lalbagh Monument in Bangalore, designers of the AIGSA Stone Awards, and the Club Cabana.
If you wish to look, see, and appreciate creativity in stone, you don’t have to look beyond Indian Autumn’s work. Welcome.
And here's a brief tête-à-tête we had with Versha from Indian Autumn.
How it all started
Before Indian Autumn we were in the granite quarrying business (better known as AVS Granites & Marbles in the stone business circle.) We were exporting to Japan. Destiny intervened, the Veerappan menace made the quarrying business tough to handle, and with a growing family, we needed less challenging alternatives. We shut shop one fine day and started looking out for other opportunities.
Meanwhile my uncle in US (Manu Shah of MS international) was keen on adding a stone etching unit as a creative edge to his business. For Shailen, it was a godsend. He had the technological acumen and was on the look out for some such opportunity. He went and trained in petrography in the US and returned to India.
This knowhow, combined well with my creative ability and my attraction to stone. Dad (one of the pioneers of stone export in India) played the role of our mentor.
Why the name Indian Autumn?
Indian Autumn is the name of a slate which has all the shades and colours of fallen leaves of autumn. It lends itself beautifully to artistic creations, is an architect’s favourite choice in slates. Its unusual colours also make it my favourite. And so it seemed a perfect name for the stone studio we had planned to open in the city.
This slate is referred to as Indian Autumn
How did you hone your creative skills?
I have no formal training in any design school. I guess I inherited an appreciation for design from my mother, and the love for stone from dad.
Tools of the trade. And the people behind the tools.
Apart from the sculpting toolkit, we also use a sandblasting machine and a laser etching machine. We have a team of 4 members at the workshop - Kiran, Rajalakshmi, Ramu & Yyashoda - and Violet works at the gallery. My son, Krish, takes care of the marketing aspects.
Great love for Lord Ganesha?
Ganashankar - Slate Rock Name Plate by Indian Autumn
This great love for Lord Ganesha is a very Indian attribute. From the time we started designing, we noticed that the Ganesha form outnumbered any other God or design, and, for us, it’s like a lucky mascot more than an obstacle remover as it’s known for. Universally, Indians and foreigners seem fascinated by the Ganesh form and aura, and, then, when you etch it on to stone, it’s just such a beautiful design that is simply irresistible. So somehow the Ganesha and etched leaves take priority in our design.
Our roots?
I hail from Mumbai, have lived in Kolkata, but Bangalore has been my home for 30 years now. Shailen's roots are in Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal. We both met in Mumbai, but chose Bangalore to set up our stone studio - alongside the family stone business.
Basically, our roots are in Madhya Pradesh, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Karnataka, while our products have travelled to Europe, Japan, Australia, and USA in the form of direct and indirect Exports. Our blending of hand-painted ceramic, metal, wood, and glass to stone gives our products a unique appeal.
Additionally...
In the stone fraternity, our speciality lies in slate etching. Our products have travelled to Europe, Japan, Australia and USA in direct and indirect exports.
Since it’s an unusual blend, an important job for us is to conceptualise at site and customise heavily. This needs a very high integrity quotient to inspire trust and confidence that is based on visualising the product and communicating a sense of it to our customers.