From Carpets to Tea: An Inside Look at Rudra Chatterjee’s Industrial Expansion

Kolkata-based third-generation industrialist Rudra Chatterjee manages a diverse business portfolio spanning century-old carpet maker Obeetee and luxury tea estate owner Luxmi Estates. Chatterjee, an alumnus of Columbia University and Oxford University, has shifted his strategic focus toward enhancing customer experience through dedicated design narratives, experience centers, and upcoming museums.

Chatterjee's journey into the family business began after returning from New York in 2007-08 during the global financial crisis. At the time, Obeetee—founded in Mirzapur in 1920—was heavily reliant on 100 percent exports. To revitalize the brand, Chatterjee introduced design collaborations with students from NID and Parsons, subsequently expanding into the domestic retail market by partnering with prominent designers like Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Tarun Tahiliani, and Abraham and Thakore.

In the tea sector, Chatterjee expanded the footprint of Luxmi Estates through strategic acquisitions, including the legendary Makaibari tea estate after meeting Raja Banerjee. The group's agricultural footprint now extends internationally. Following a trek in Kilimanjaro, Chatterjee explored tea estates in Tanzania before ultimately acquiring land and establishing operations in Rwanda. The group currently manages around 30,000 hectares of tea estates across India—including Assam, Tripura, and Darjeeling—and Rwanda, yielding approximately 10 million kg of tea from Rwanda alone.

Luxmi Estates is also pivoting toward wellness by incorporating tulsi, ashwagandha, valerian, and herbal infusions. In 2025, the group acquired a majority stake in the UK-based D2C subscription brand Brew Tea.

Beyond textiles and tea, Obeetee has diversified into furniture and technical textiles. The company manufactures furniture in Italy and Jaipur, leveraging its initial B2B export experience. Additionally, a joint venture with Germany's TWE Group GmbH, named Benecore, manufactures synthetic non-woven fabrics and technical textiles, with a new hygiene plant scheduled to produce diapers.

Together, these diversified operations push the group's consolidated revenues—excluding the Benecore joint venture—above ₹2,500 crore, with a consistent year-on-year growth rate of 20 percent.

"Rudra Chatterjee's leadership highlights the strength of scaling traditional, legacy businesses through strategic diversification, international expansion, and brand storytelling. By balancing heritage assets like Obeetee and Makaibari with modern D2C channels, wellness product lines, and technical textiles, the group has successfully driven strong financial performance while staying connected to its foundational roots. This approach offers a valuable blueprint for traditional enterprises looking to scale in modern markets." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes