New York woman wanted American children to experience Diwali. How a mother's rangoli kits became a funded business

Indian Americans barely make up 2 per cent of the USA. The cultural traditions of Indians are mostly overlooked and not widely known across the country. However, one woman is trying to put Indian festivals on the global map and make them mainstream in the West. Meet Akriti Babaria. The entrepreneur who moved to the USA in 16 had to contend with growing up in a culture where hers was relatively invisible. She also shared her journey and why she built the toy brand Kulture Khazana on LinkedIn.

Diwali was the biggest festival of her childhood and was quietly spent in her home and temples without much pomp and fanfare. One day, she spoke about the festival to her son's classmates in kindergarten, and one little girl hugged her and thanked her for speaking about a festival she celebrated at home, yet noone talked about it.

“That moment is why I built Kulture Khazana. Kids should see their culture reflected in classrooms, in store aisles and in the stories we tell…” she said.


Barbaria shared that she founded Kulture Khazana with the aim of making Diwali celebrations more accessible and visible in mainstream spaces.

In an interview with The Global Indian, Barbaria said that the sheer paucity of toys that reflected the culture she left behind caused her to make a brand that focuses on toys that celebrate Indian culture.

When she had difficulty locating rangoli supplies to enjoy the activity with her son, Ayaan, she chose to make her own kits. She later focused on bringing these products to common retail stores, enabling more children to experience representations of their cultural customs while shopping.

“What began as an idea at my kitchen table has grown into a brand carried by major retailers, but the bigger milestone is seeing cultural play recognised as both meaningful to families and a viable retail category with lasting potential,” she said.

According to their website, Kulture Khazana today caters to over 45,000 families, schools, libraries, nonprofits, and temples across the U.S.

Akruti began with just 40 books in 2018. Over the years, it grew into toys, diyas, puzzles, crafts, activities, holiday boxes, etc.

Today, the festival is acknowledged on various platforms, such as the Smithsonian, schools in different states, NYC educational institutions, corporate environments, and local communities.

Since 2019, she has partnered with employee groups, public libraries, and school administrations to assist teachers in introducing Diwali celebrations and traditions to their students.

These toys have been featured at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, universities, and various schools across the US that celebrate the festival, as well as on Good Morning America.

Some of the products offered are rangoli mandala sand art kits, family rangoli puzzles, Mahabharata For Children, etc.

Kulture Khazana completed UB Business & Entrepreneur Partnerships’ Cultivator programme in 2023 and received not just coaching but also an investment of $100,000.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Akruti has an MBA from the University at Buffalo School of Management, The State University of New York.