Bhubaneswar: The Crafts Council of Odisha (CCO) Monday launched its unique initiative, ‘Craftsperson of the Week,’ at Ekamra Haat to promote traditional handicrafts and provide artisans with greater market exposure.
The programme was inaugurated by Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the department of Handloom, Textiles and Handicrafts.
The event was attended by Santosh Kumar Mohapatra, Chairman of the Crafts Council of Odisha, along with several craft enthusiasts and distinguished guests. Under the initiative, an eminent craftsperson will be featured every week from Monday to Sunday.
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The selected artisan will be provided with an air-conditioned showroom at Ekamra Haat to display and sell their products. The council will also facilitate publicity and enable interactions with buyers, designers and craft lovers to help artisans reach wider markets.
The programme for the first month has been sponsored by SNM Group of Companies. Its Chairman Pradipta Mohanty and Diptee Mohanty were present at the launch. The first craftsperson to participate in the programme was Kalpataru Moharana, a National Merit and Shilpi Guru award-winning stone carver from Lalitagiri. Speaking on the occasion, Mohapatra said, “The initiative aligns with the vision of the World Crafts Council (WCC) to preserve and promote traditional crafts.”
He appreciated the effort and urged the public and craft lovers to visit the exhibition and encourage artisans. CCO, a non-government organisation of craft enthusiasts, works towards preserving and promoting the state’s rich handicraft heritage. It is affiliated with the Crafts Council of India, which in turn is linked to the WCC.