The 46th IHGF-Delhi Fair comes back

The 46th edition of world's largest IHGF-Delhi Fair was inaugurated by Ajay Tamta, Union Minister of State for Textiles at state-of-the-art exhibition venue India Expo Centre and Mart at Greater Noida on October 14.

The inauguration ceremony took place amidst the overseas buying community arrived in India to source home, lifestyle, fashion and textiles products from more than 110 countries. The extravaganza of Indian handicrafts will be taking place in the capital until October 18.

While inaugurating the fair, Ajay Tamta said that this fair has played a vital role in increasing exports of handicrafts from the country and has acquired a special importance for handicrafts sector as overseas buying community finds this fair to be the most effective sourcing medium for their requirements and that the Indian exporting community considers this as the most effective marketing medium for their merchandise.

"The reason behind its success is that fair is very useful both for buyers and sellers. Participation by over 3200 exhibitors in this fair and visit of overseas buyers from over 110 countries shows its popularity amongst Indian handicrafts exporting and importing community," he added.

Later, on the second day of the mega-fair, Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of State for MSME gave away the Guild certificates to nine framers working in picture framing segment.

Along with Giriraj Singh, some eminent personalities like O P Prahladka, Chairman–EPCH; Jesmina Zeliang, President of the fair; Mohan Singh Bhati and Ahmed Akberali Sundrani, Vice Presidents of the fair; R K Passi and Sagar Mehta, Vice Chairmen – EPCH among others.

While distributing the Guild Certificates to the winners, Giriraj Singh stated, "Soul of India resides in the Handicrafts sector and this sector keeps us close to the roots of our culture."

He further elaborated by saying that seven million artisans and crafts persons wholeheartedly working in different craft clusters are the backbones of this sector and we should make all-out efforts to increase their livelihood.

He also appreciated EPCH for giving them the opportunity to display their intricate craftsmanship in this show, generating employment for them as well as providing technical support for enhancing designs of their products to compete in the world market.

MSME Minister further said that Handicrafts sector can only be flourished when these artisans are paid the real value for their skills. Whatever progress handicraft sector so far has made, it is because of hard work of the artisans and crafts persons of India.

"EPCH in collaboration with Manish Gourisaria, Joint Managing Director of M/s Lion India has taken unique initiative to upgrade the Picture Framing Industry in India by conducting GCF training programme for the Indian Framers in association of Fine Art Trade Guild, London, UK to enable the framers in acquiring higher skills and quality of workmanship and accommodate different levels of framing with the bespoke market to International standards," said Rakesh Kumar, ED – EPCH.

The training programme for the fair was held from March 12-17 in Kolkata. The world-renowned master trainer, Stephen Finney GCF (APF) Adv. from Germany and UK had conducted this course.

18 participants from all across the globe, came to Kolkata to participate in the above course and appeared for the exams and among them, nine participants have passed the Guild Certified Framers examination successfully. The winning participants include Vivek Dhar from Meghalaya, J Anto Amalraj, Tamilnadu, Chandrashekar, Karnataka,

among others.