The Design and Technology Development Workshop, inaugurated on February 1st, 2024 in Alikanta village of Jagatsinghpur district as part of the National Handicrafts Development Program (NHDP, SDHS) in partnership with DC Handicrafts and KIIT-TBI, has now reached its midway benchmark as on February 13th, 2024.
On February 13th, a delegation including Mr. Suramya Mishra and Ms. Subhasmita Sahoo from KIIT-TBI, along with Kumar Premendra Sinha (Handicraft Promotion Officer) visited the workshop to monitor its progress and assess its impact on the skill upgradation of the rural women artisans.
The team was delighted to witness the dedication, sincerity, and effort put up by the 30 enthusiastic women artisans under the expert guidance of Mr. Himanshu Sekhar Parida, Designer, and Ms. Sarojini Parida, Master Crafts person in learning new innovations and adapting modern techniques. Their imaginative use of golden grass has resulted in a diverse range of creations, such as an owl-inspired pen stand, a key-shaped key holder, a capsicum storage/utility box, a utility basket and tray blended with Sambalpuri fabric, a flower vase, an apple-inspired hanging basket, a petal-shaped hand fan, and a decorative storage box resembling mushroom.
The core objective of this design intervention workshop is to provide the rural women artisans with a viable platform where they can engage in crafts learning, development and skill enhancement activities. Through this intervention, the artisans will be empowered to innovate market-oriented crafts that will ultimately provide them economic sustainability by opening up new avenues nationally and internationally.
