KVIC revives Monpa handmade paper industry in Tawang

The 1000-year old heritage art – the Monpa Handmade Paper of Arunachal Pradesh – which was driven to extinction, has come to life once again, with the committed efforts of Khadi and Village Industries Commission ( KVIC ).

The art of making Monpa handmade paper originated in China over 1000 years ago. Gradually the art travelled across to India and it became an integral part of local custom and culture in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh which is just 30 km from China.

KVIC on Friday commissioned a Monpa handmade paper making unit in Tawang which not only aims at reviving the art but also engaging the local youths with this art professionally and earn. The unit was inaugurated by KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena in presence of local people and officials. Inauguration of the paper unit is a historic event for the locals.

The fine-textured handmade paper, which is called Mon Shugu in the local dialect, is integral to the vibrant culture of the local tribes in Tawang. The paper has great historic and religious significance as it is the paper used for writing Buddhist scriptures and hymns in monasteries.

On the instruction of KVIC Chairman, a team of scientists and officials of Kumarappa National Handmade Paper Institute,(KNHPI) Jaipur, was deputed at Tawang to set up the unit and training the locals. Over six months of rigorous efforts bore fruits and a unit has been commissioned at Tawang.

The most challenging task for KVIC officials was to transport the machines to Tawang owing to its difficult mountainous terrains and inclement weather conditions. The Arunachal Pradesh Government lent full support to the project and offered a building on a nominal rent to set up the unit.

The KVIC Chairman said reviving the Monpa handmade paper industry and increasing its commercial production was the key objective of KVIC. "This handmade paper has high commercial value that can be harnessed to create local employment. By increasing production of Monpa handmade paper, it can again be exported to other countries. This is a local product with great global potential, which is aligned with the Mantra of "Local to Global" given by the Prime Minister," Saxena said.