INDIA: Shilp Guru awarded to 29 craftspersons from handicraft industry
BharatTextile.com (subscription), India
NEW DELHI: The Shilp Guru Awards, given annually by the ministry of textiles for excellence in the field of handicrafts, has been awarded to 29 senior handicrafts persons for the year 2003, 2004 and 2005 by the vice-president, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat here on 9th September, press release said.
The function was jointly organised by the office of Development Commissioner (handicrafts), Crafts Council of India and COHANDS.
The vice-president said that those honoured with Shilp Guru Awards should be given opportunity to train and prepare young persons as future handicrafts experts since India has good artisans and handicrafts persons but what is needed, is that they should be given encouragement.
Every state in India should have institutions to train people under various handicrafts disciplines, as Indian handicrafts are popular among foreigners.
The estimated world market for handicrafts is estimated to be of US $ 2350 million, but India’s share is only of two percent.
Earlier the Union Minister for Textiles, Shri Shankersinh Vaghela said that the Indian handicrafts have made a lot of progress in international market and is now at the top in the export of carpets.
He further proposed to promote the Brand Image of Indian handicrafts, having tremendous potential for growth, employment generation building national economy, in the global markets on sustain basis
However, the purpose of Shilp Guru Award is not only to honour senior handicrafts persons for their excellence but also to encourage them to train more and more disciples to sustain and promote Indian handicrafts.
The handicrafts sector recorded an increase of 14 percent of annual export in the year 2005-06, Secretary Ministry of Textiles, Shri D.P. Singh also informed.
The Shilp Awards carries a certificate, a gold coin and a shawl and are awarded to master crafts-persons for his work and dedications who has contributed not only to the preservation of rich and diverse crafts heritage of the country but also the resurgence of handicrafts section as a whole.