Shantaben is the middle sibling, between two elder and two younger brothers. Her parents migrated from Sindh to India in 1972. In Faradi, her father has a tile polishing business. One brother works with her father, two work in companies, and the youngest is studying in college. Shantaben liked school, especially Gujarati and Math, and stood first in her class. But when she was in 5th grade her father stopped her from going further. After leaving school, her mother taught her embroidery. She has worked for Shrujan, began her own bank account, and has bought her own ornaments.

"A good artisan has good technique," Shantaben says. "You can recognize it.” She believes that suf embroidery will continue. You can't stop in the middle, she says. But Shantaben has observed that now suf artisans also get their own dowries done by others, and even use machine work! Shantaben expects from KRV to learn to do her own work, and make choices. Dreams, she says, will come after the course…