Ayush Paper

Ayush notebooks use the paper that your pen will love. These high quality spiral bound notebooks use a fountain pen friendly paper that gives little show-through and bleeding, and a smooth feel with just enough tooth to satisfy. From Maharashtra in India, Ayush paper is a high quality product from a growing brand. Now available from Write Here, both in-store and online.

Ayush Paper comes from Aurangabad, about 300 kilometres east of Mumbai

Ayush Vikram Surana founded the company in 2013.  This is his story. 

In his first year of graduate studies his father announced he was going to give him pocket money of 3000 Rupees a month – a generous offer.  He was delighted, and more so when his father bought him a dog, which he named Tulip.  Even better, dad bought him some plants – another enthusiasm!  However, he was committed to buying food for the dog, and fertiliser for the plants.  When his father said he was going to stop the pocked money he thought it was a joke. But it was not.

Other family members came to the rescue by lending him money, , but he needed a permanent source of income.  He contacted his uncle in Delhi, who was in the paper business, to see if he could help.  His mother agreed to take a trip to see him with Ayush to advise him – she has stayed close to the business ever since.  They bought some wallpaper, which they made into envelopes, and some handmade paper.  This found a good local market, but they decided they needed a bigger product range. 

Three years later, working with a local bookbinder, they produced a 7×7 inch sketch book.  They expanded their market from local stores to Mumbai with its population of 26 million.  As they grew, they needed to put it in more business-like basis with tax registration and clearer product identification.

They spotted gaps in the market, like offering different coloured papers for sketch books – and expanded the range of sizes.  Marketing was largely through social media, and about 2017 their website launched, which has grown to sell imported products such as Lamy pens and Ferris Wheel inks.

Ayush came across their excellent fountain pen friendly paper from a contact Bangalore.  Initial impressions from the fountain pen community were favourable, and they rapidly increased the sizes and rulings available.  The Indian market grew, and thoughts turned to expanding the market even more through exporting – Ayush Paper is now available I the USA as well as here in the UK.

The focus now is increasing quality by investing in improved machinery – better binding, debossing on covers etc.   Ayush leads the business, with his mother continuing to provide back-office support.