Meet Deepak: Leading Source Haus Sourcing Operations in India

I'd like you to meet Deepak Girdhar, who leads our international business and sourcing operations in India.

Deepak is based in Noida, in the New Delhi NCR region, and has spent more than 30 years working across international trade, shipping, logistics, sourcing and manufacturing.

His role at Source Haus is broad.

He helps international founders and brands find the right manufacturing partners, develop products, solve sourcing challenges, manage quality and keep projects moving from the first idea through to final shipment.

In many ways, he is the bridge between our clients and the manufacturing world in India.

What I loved most about Deepak's interview was that, after three decades in the industry, he still spoke most passionately about the people.

He began his career working closely with exporters, customs teams, manufacturers, global transporters and buyers from around the world.

But what kept him interested was not simply the movement of products.

It was watching an idea become something real, while working alongside skilled artisans and manufacturers to bring it to life.

That feels very aligned with the way we think at Source Haus.

We are not just looking for factories.

We are looking for the right people, the right capabilities and the right relationships for each founder and product.

Deepak has an incredible understanding of India's manufacturing landscape.

From homewares, furniture and textiles to lighting, jewellery, leather goods, glass, food products and technology, he understands that different parts of India have very different specialities.

A large part of his work is knowing where to look, who to speak to and how to identify the manufacturers who can genuinely deliver.

He is also very clear about one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding manufacturing in India.

India is not simply a place to find low-cost production.

It is a place of extraordinary skill, craftsmanship, creativity and specialist knowledge.

The strongest outcomes come from choosing genuine manufacturers, communicating clearly and building long-term relationships, not simply negotiating for the lowest possible price.

His advice to first-time founders is simple.

Take your time.

Visit the factories when possible.

Ask questions.

Understand how the product is being made.

Do not rush the first production order.

And make sure you have trusted people on the ground who are genuinely working on your side.

One of the projects closest to Deepak and his team at the moment involves developing safety technology jewellery for an international client.

It has required them to learn an entirely new technical category, coordinate multiple teams and work through several rounds of sampling.

For Deepak, seeing the founder's original vision gradually become a real product is the reward.

He says helping take an idea from a sketch on paper to a product on a retail shelf never gets old.

I think that tells you almost everything you need to know about him.

He has the experience to manage the complicated parts of international manufacturing, but he has never lost sight of the founder and the idea at the centre of the project.

When our clients come to India, Deepak is also the person who wants them to experience more than a factory visit.

The markets.

The trade fairs.

The artisan workshops.

The local food.

The conversations that happen around a shared meal.

Because manufacturing in India is not only about what can be made there.

It is about the people, relationships and knowledge behind it.

We are very lucky to have Deepak leading our work in India, and I cannot wait for more of our founders to meet him.