Government Degree College Kargil under the aegis of the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil, in association with GSDS organized an on-line workshop on “Preservation and Promotion of Ladakhi Art and Craft” on December 11, 2020. Almost 68 participants took part in the workshop. 30 girl students engaged in training and production of ethnic Ladakhi crafts likes shawls, embroidery items, decorative items, traditional knitted wear products, etc. took part in the workshop and demonstrated their crafts for the promotion and preservation of indigenous craft. The speakers included: Dr. Javed I Naqui, Coordinator, Kargil Crafts Skill Centre; Shri Bishwajit Singh, Project Head, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushal Yojana; Ms. Tashi Yanskit, Senior Artisa, Ladakhi Traditional Dress; Ms. Aqila Akhtar, Young Craft Trainer and Entrepreneur, Kargil, Ms. Rahima Khatun, Secretary Nari O Sishu Kalya Kendra, Howrah, West Bengal, Smt. Geeta Shukla, Research Officer GSDS and Ms. Roopa Rawat, In-Charge Srijan GSDS. Shri Basant Singh, Former Advisor, GSDS was special guest on the occasion as an expert assessor.
Initiating the discussion, Dr. Javed I Naqui spoke of the initiative of the college in the promotion of the traditional art and craft.
Welcoming the delegation, Smt. Geeta Shukla briefed the gathering about the different initiatives of the GSDS towards promotion of skill amongst youth. She highlighted the Government of India’s Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana and informed about Samiti’s initiatives in taking up several skill related projects towards empowerment of women and local people in states such as Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh. She also informed about the successful implementation of the RPL project with the auto drivers in Delhi in which almost 2000 auto drivers were trained.
Sharing his inputs in the discussion, Shri Bishwajeet stressed on the need for up-skilling of the trainers. He stressed on livelihood opportunities and income generation. He also said that there is a need for recognition, for it paves the way branding, which in turn expands sale.
Smt. Rahima ji while briefing about her organization necessitated the idea of involving the Ministry of Textiles for skill upgradation and design development. She said that during her work on skill development projects, she has understood the necessity of linking the artisans with crafts persons, and bringing them to the forefront for their exposure, which gives them opportunities.
Experience sharing by Ms. Aquila Akhtar, who is trying to revive traditional designs of Ladakh and Ms. Tashi Yanskit were other highlights of the programme. Ms. Roopa Rawat of Srijan GSDS also highlighted the work of Srijan and how they are introducing new designs as per requirement.
Shri Basant Singh began his address by suggesting a Karigar Mela in Kargil as part of the Ladakh Fest. He also stressed on linking the artisans from Ladakh to Lakshwadeep to Kurukshetra together and suggested that the artisans from Ladakh visit the skill centre in West Bengal that is being run by Ms. Rahima Khatun. He expressed hope that COVID-19 has proved the strength of the artisans, whose work, he said, “Hasn’t stopped”.
While expressing the need for adopting new techniques and how traditional designs could be combined with these new techniques, Shri Basant said, “We have to understand that the market has changed and therefore packaging has to be taken care of with a new outlook”, and added, “Karigars has to be inspired and trained on this line of thought also. They infuse positivity. There is a need to sit with them and learn their art and expose them and their craft to outside world, for exposure leads to energy”.
In his concluding remarks, Shri Dipanker Shri Gyan, Director GSDS while speaking about the necessity of practicing this art to take it further, stressed on constructively utilizing the knowledge to upgrade this skill so that the talent or art is not lost. “We have to also provde marketing skill along with production skill and training in soft skill”, he said, and added that GSDS could link such people for their training and empowerment.
The webinar concluded with a demonstration of the products of the crafts persons from Ladakh by the instructor Ms. Zarena Bano along with Dr. Javed. Ms. Bano shared her inputs on cultural designs and the need for reviving traditional designs. She hoped that they get advanced machines to take forward their work.