New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday presented the Shilp Guru Awards and National Handicraft Awards for 2023 and 2024, honouring the nation’s finest artisans, designers, and innovators in the handicrafts sector. The ceremony was held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, in the presence of Union Minister for Textiles Giriraj Singh, Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita, Textiles Secretary Neelam Shami Rao, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) Amrit Raj, along with artisans, industry representatives, exporters, and senior officials.
Awards Distribution and Recipients
A total of 48 awards were presented: 12 Shilp Guru Awards and 36 National Awards, including 2 Design-Innovation Awards. Among the awardees, 20 were women artisans, highlighting the growing role of women in India’s handicraft sector.
The recipients represented diverse crafts, including woodwork, metal crafts, clay modeling, jute art, textile printing, Pattachitra, bamboo-cane crafts, terracotta, leather puppetry, stone carving, carpets, toys, and puppet-making.
President Murmu: Artisans Are Guardians of Cultural Heritage
President Murmu said that Indian artisans are the true custodians of the nation’s cultural heritage, adapting traditional crafts to changing times. She emphasized that the handicrafts sector is not only a medium of rural employment and women empowerment but also a significant contributor to sustainable development. She added that the sector provides promising opportunities for young entrepreneurs to innovate and scale their businesses using modern techniques.
Textile Minister Giriraj Singh: Handicrafts Empower Women
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh congratulated the awardees, stating that the handicraft sector is the largest source of employment for women and marginalized communities. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to initiatives like ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Viksit Bharat’.
Minister of State for Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, highlighted that handicrafts are not merely products but expressions of emotions and cultural memory, each reflecting India’s identity and the creativity of its artisans. Textiles Secretary Neelam Shami Rao called the awards an important tool to inspire artisans and preserve traditional arts.
In his closing remarks, Development Commissioner Amrit Raj reiterated the ministry’s commitment to strengthening the handicraft ecosystem and empowering artisans across the country.
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