Bagging export orders on a platform where competition is really stiff with business people at their discerning best when it comes to quality and acceptability quotients, is no doubt a commendable achievement. A few little-known or even greenhorn artisans from Arunachal have done exactly that at the just concluded 48th edition of Indian Handicraft Gift Fair 2019 and made the state proud, perhaps also cementing a truth that if given opportunities to showcase talents, there will be little chances of letting down. It’s also a message which should reach the ears of policy framers both at centre and state, which actually reads out that, first-rate artisans are present right here in the state in large numbers who could eventually turn out to be ‘faces’ of the artistic side of a rich indigenous culture and win accolades even in this increasingly cut-throat competitive world of business. Only they need is a little ‘push’ in the process and if that really happens, more such success stories can be scripted in coming days.  
It must be remembered that the fair was quite a large one with participation of more than 3000 artisans from all over the country displaying over 2000 products and designs covering  theme-based segments of home, lifestyle, fashion, furniture, textiles and others. This is enough to understand the competitive level of business and with a background of on-going global recession, this fair was a real tough playground since importers who thronged it must had been too choosy and thrifty, singling out only those items which would carry definite business prospects. Judging all these, it should be said that when Arunachalee artisans have still managed to come out with success, there must be something extra within them and more these legacies of knowledge that have been inherited and carried forward over generations are brought to the outside world, the more it would be beneficial to them in particular and state in general. It also needs mentioning here that these exponents of traditions were fortunate to have a little brush-up before landing on the pavilions of the fair and this short training had helped in reshaping their design formats to keep in congruence with the current demands of markets. It’s that ‘push’ which had infused the much needed confidence to challenge other competitors and emerge with encouragingly commercial rewards by way of orders both from within and outside the country.
Talents are aplenty whether be it in any traditional medium such as cane, bamboo, traditional jewelery, wood-carving and loin loom to name a few. Markets are waiting to have a taste of these too. It’s thus the most opportune time to groom these Arunachalee talents by all possible ways so that, as true torch bearers of tradition, they get their due rewards.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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