Date:08/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/08/stories/2009010850090200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

10-day handicraft exhibition begins

Staff Reporter

Craftsmen showcasing various products

— Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

CLOSE LOOK: Chief Secretary K.S.Sripathi at the handicrafts exhibition organised by Poompuhar on Monday.

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation is organising an all India handicrafts sourcing show with a rich diversity of colourful and artistic handicrafts at Valluvar Kottam.

Speaking at its inauguration here on Monday, Chairman and Managing Director of the Corporation R.Rajagopal said: “We expect Rs.2 crore as revenue from the sale of the handicrafts during the 10-day exhibition.”

He said the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and the Marghazi music festival would boost the sale of the various handicrafts by bringing more visitors from across India and the world.

Craftsmen from various parts of India have showcased their handicrafts in around 200 stalls. Chief Secretary K.S.Sripathi inaugurated the exhibition.

“Many of the products are crafted by women belonging to self-help groups,” said Rajeswari Chandrasekaran at one of the stalls.

Prominent among the crafts on display are bronze icons of Swamimalai, stone carvings, Tanjore paintings and art plates, artistic lamps, woollen carpets, kalamkari paintings, natural fibre products and woollen products. Salim Ali’s collection of birds shaped by the handicraft of Ramkumar Takur of Ujjain was on exhibition at one of the stalls.

The objective of organising the sourcing show is to give the craftsmen a platform for showcasing the best and innovative handicrafts, said Mr.Rajagopal.

Many award-winning craftsmen will be directly interacting with the consumers at the show.

The Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation has also arranged a ‘special buyer-seller meet’ on January 13 elsewhere in Chennai to encourage export of handicrafts.

“We are still lagging behind China in the export of handicrafts,” said A.R.Chaudhuri, Regional Director, Southern Region, Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts). The exhibition will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.