SME Times News Bureau | 29 Nov, 2011
The Thematic Display of Indian handicrafts, ‘Magic of Gifted Hands’ at the India International Trade Fair (IITF 2011) bagged a Gold Medal in a display contest  during the trade fair which was announced at an award ceremony function held by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) at Pragati Maidan yesterday.

The award was presented by Rajiv Khullar, Commerce Secretary, Govt. of India, to Ministry of Textiles and received by Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) S.S. Gupta.

The thematic display was set up by Ministry of Textiles at IITF 2011 and inaugurated by Union Commerce, Industry and Textiles Minister Anand Sharma on November 14, 2011.

A masterwork jointly developed by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) and National Centre for Design and Product  Development (NCDPD) the Thematic Display of Indian handicrafts, ‘Magic of Gifted Hands’, was an effort to showcase the diversity, strength and inherent beauty of the Indian handicrafts to vast national and international audience.

The thematic display consisted of programmes which included Craft Exchange Programme, Theme Pavilions, Buyer-Seller Congregation and International Seminar. The EPCH  and NCDPD had jointly held these programmes with the support and collaboration of  Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) and Ministry of Textiles.

Handicrafts exporters from across the country were given an opportunity through these progrmames to display the products they export and interact directly with foreign buyers, manufacturers, traders, artisans etc. A total of 50 exporters were given space at a pavilion with the aim of providing a boost to the export of handicrafts as a part of the Buyer Seller meet. A specific number of exporters from Rajasthan were given a special opportunity and space at the Buyer-Seller meet.

The Craft Exchange Program while allowing artisans / craft persons to discuss in detail between themselves, the knowledge and the art involved in the different crafts also enabled them to directly interact with the overseas buyers and consumers and show them live demonstration of the processing of the crafts. 22 master crafts persons from all over the country and five Sri Lankan crafts persons participated in the Craft Exchange Program.