Nutan Kopuri combines philanthropy with

fashion in new business, Philocracy

By Kara Fedurek
For JOUR 2311

Nutan Kopuri, a junior interest in math and study

studying finance at Ohio State
University, has combined his
passions for charity and
entrepreneurship by creating
the clothing brand Philocracy.
With his small business he
hopes to support lesser-known
non-profits around the
Columbus area.
Philocracy launched
on Dec. 17, 2020, with the
goal of partnering with non-
profits around the Columbus
area to produce clothing lines.
Nutan Kopuri launched his
clothing company Philocracy,
which will partner with non-
profits to raise money to help
the community. Kopuri hopes
to raise awareness for local
charities in the Columbus area
through collaborations. Photo
courtesy of Rakesh Murugesan.
Philocracy is Kopuri’s
first business; however, it’s by which is northwest of
finance with the aspiration of
starting his own business one
day. That day came sooner
than expected when Kopuri
and his friend, Rakesh
Murugesan, decided to start
Philocracy with Kopuri as the
president of the company and
Murugesan as the executive
director.
Murugesan met Kopuri
when the two were juniors at
Dublin Jerome High School,

All the profits from the
collaboration lines will go to
the non-profits they partner
with. The initial launch line,
released on Sept. 17, has no
non-profit partner. Kopuri
wanted to get all his beginner
mistakes out of the way before around the globe with better
putting a non-profit’s
reputation at risk.
no means his first time
practicing community service.
In high school, Kopuri often
volunteered at the Columbus,
Ohio chapter of PURE Youth,
a non-profit that provides
underserved communities
education resources.
When it came time to
decide on college plans,
Kopuri decided to use his
Columbus. Now, as juniors at
OSU, they co-lead their own
company. “It’s been really
great working with him,”
Murugesan said, “He’s been
instrumental with Philocracy.”
The two students found
the inspiration for Philocracy
from Buckeyethon, a non-
profit organization run by OSU
students that donates money
 raised from its annual dance
marathon to the Nationwide
Children’s Hospital. Kopuri
and Murugesan discussed the
idea of starting their own
philanthropy business and
decided to combine it with one fashion, Philocracy can tell the any new, small business, it
of Kopuri’s passions,
streetwear fashion. “It was just partners with and create
a very excited text stream on
iMessage,” Murugesan said.
Kopuri shows off his streetwear
style on Ohio State University’s
campus. Photo courtesy of
Sriharsha Deavela.
Kopuri’s appreciation
for fashion was crucial in
starting Philocracy.
“Streetwear is all about
wearing products that aren’t
just material. They have a
deeper meaning and a deeper winning, or me winning. At the
story,” said Kopuri. end of the day, it’s about
Streetwear’s ability to tell Philocracy winning,” Kopuri
stories through clothing is explained.
what made it and philanthropy Kopuri isn’t certain of
such a good match. With Philocracy’s future. As with
stories of the non-profits it could fail within months, or it
could become massively
distinct pieces. successful and change the
Garnering attention and community for the better.
interest in the fashion aspect of The company’s first
the business has proven to be collaboration will be with Life
the most difficult part of Smart Education, a Columbus
launching Philocracy. “We based non-profit that develops
need people to know that we’re education programs for
not a philanthropy clothing underserved youth. The
company. We’re a clothing program is a great help to
company that does those born without the
philanthropy,” Kopuri said. privileges that many in
For him, the fashion is just as Kopuri’s hometown grew up
important as the collaboration. with.
As a leader, Kopuri’s “There are a lot of
main goal is to make wealthy, privileged people in
Philocracy the best it can be, Dublin,” Kopuri said, “and I
and that is how he approaches think it’s important that they,
disagreements between board and other privileged people,
members. Kopuri believes that see that they can help others
it’s important that the members with their wealth and
don’t take anything too privilege.”
personally. “It’s not about you