Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 9: Four artisans from Jammu and Kashmir were conferred with national-level honours under the Shilp Guru Awards and National Awards for Handicrafts, instituted by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. The awards were presented at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, in the presence of the President of India.
Two artisans from Kashmir received the National Award, which recognises excellence and sustained contribution in traditional handicrafts. Khwaja Nazir Ali was awarded the National Award in Artistic Textiles (Sozni Shawl) for his work in Sozni embroidery, while Manzoor Ahmad Khan received the National Award in Handmade Carpet for his contribution to Kashmir’s carpet weaving tradition.
In addition, two artisans were conferred with the Certificate of Excellence, which recognises high-quality craftsmanship and emerging mastery. Mashkoora Hameed received the Certificate of Excellence in Sozni Shawl, and Mir Arshad was awarded the Certificate of Excellence in Paper Mache.
Providing details of the participation from Jammu and Kashmir, Raja Rahail Rashid, Assistant Director, Handicrafts Service Centre (HSC) Srinagar, Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), informed that 49 artisans from districts including Srinagar, Budgam, Baramulla, Anantnag, Pulwama, and Ganderbal submitted their entries this year. Of these, four artisans were selected for national recognition.
The awards ceremony was attended by Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Textiles; Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State for Textiles; Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary (Textiles); and Amrit Raj, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), along with artisans, exporters, designers, industry representatives, and senior officials.
The awards underline the sustained role of Jammu and Kashmir’s artisans in preserving traditional crafts, while highlighting the significance of national initiatives in providing visibility and institutional support to the sector.
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