Traditional artisans to get rare opportunity to display work

From Kashmir to Rajasthan and from North-East to Gujarat, traditional artisans from across the country will get a chance next month to showcase their unique works under one roof.

This is the initiative of the Minority Affairs Ministry which wants a chance to be given to diverse communities to highlight their special skills during the International Trade Fair at Pragati Maidan here from November 14 to 27.

This may also result in the artisans getting business from outside the country as well.

At the ‘Skill Haat’, artisans from Kashmir can display their art with regard to Pashmina work or papier mache work while those from Rajasthan can showcase their marble work and those from Gujarat can show their speciality in handicrafts.

“The Modi government has been taking a major step to provide opportunity and market to India’s traditional arts/crafts at international-level, showing its spectacular heritage.

“This will provide an excellent platform for thousands of artisans belonging to the communities from across the nation to display their arts and skills before the domestic and international visitors,” said Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi who is getting it organised.

He said the exhibition will also have artefacts made of cane and bamboo (from North-East); embroidery (chikan), brass artifacts and jardoji clothes work (Uttar Pradesh); collection of pottery work (South India); handicrafts from Bihar- Jharkhand and indigenous goods for domestic use from Bengal- Odisha on display.

Among others, centuries-old Ayurvedic, Unani health care, glass artefacts, Indian silk-cotton work will also be a part of the exhibition. The artisans will also display their skills of making products live before the people at the Trade Fair.

To make it more convenient for the artisans to participate in the trade fair, the government will provide them stalls for free, arrange for their transport to the venue and help with daily expenses during the exhibition period so that they can display their talent without any trouble, Naqvi said in a statement.

I have written to Chief Ministers of all the states requesting them to direct the departments concerned of their respective states to make aware talented artisans and craft persons about this exhibition and encourage them to send applications to National Minority Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) latest by October 25, the Minister said.

The NMDFC will participate in the India International Trade Fair on behalf of the Ministry, under the banner of USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts Crafts for Development) scheme.