Category: BUSINESS

SRINAGAR, AUGUST 6: Islamia College of Science and Commerce, Srinagar organized daylong seminar on “Handicrafts in Shahr-e-Khas: Challenges and Opportunities” today on 06th August 2025.

The event brought together a confluence of renowned artisans, academicians, industrialists, researchers, students, and officials from the Government of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, all committed to rejuvenating the traditional handicrafts sector rooted in the historic downtown Srinagar popularly known as Shahr-e-Khas.

The seminar was formally inaugurated by the Principal of the College, Professor (Dr.) Tehmina Yousuf, who in her presidential address, emphasized the critical need to preserve and revitalize Kashmir’s rich artistic legacy. She underscored the importance of bridging the traditional knowledge systems of artisans with modern market mechanism through academia-industry linkages and innovation. Prof. Tehmina stated that such platforms are vital in creating sustainable, entrepreneurial, and economically viable ecosystems for the region’s heritage crafts.

Dr. Zahoor Ahmad Jhat, Convenor, Innovation & Incubation Centre welcomed the distinguished dignitaries, experts and participants. He elaborated on the College’s vision of fostering innovation and entrepreneurship especially among the youth in the realm of traditional crafts.

The seminar witnessed insightful deliberations by eminent speakers including, Prof. Arshad Suleh, Head, Department of Art, College of Education, who deliberated on the existential challenges threatening this traditional sector such as limited global exposure, dwindling artisan engagement, and market competition from machine-made replicas.

Dr. Syed Iliyas Rizvi, Founder, Education Revival Through Art & Aesthetics in Kashmir, provided a vivid historical overview of Kashmir’s artisanal legacy. He passionately advocated for youth engagement, institutional support, and policy backing to revive the handicraft sector. gave crystal clear picture of the Art and artesian of the Kashmir in general and Shaher-e-Khaas in particular.

Dr. Syed Iliyas Rizvi, took the audiences back into the days of history when this art was the backbone of Kashmir. Dr. Syed Iliyas Rizvi, stressed the importance of institutional support and youth participation to rejuvenate the handicraft ecosystem. He gave insights picture on heritage conservation, export challenges, design innovation, digital marketing, to policy interventions and incubation opportunities.

Prof. Fayaz A. Nika, Director, DIC Dean, School of Management Studies, Central University of Kashmir, highlighted the role of higher education institutions and scientific innovation in revitalizing the crafts industry and addressing bottlenecks.

Ms. Aamina Asad, Chief Designer, Department of Handicrafts & Handlooms, J&K, and Dr. Yasir A. Mir, Assistant Professor, NIFT Srinagar, who both contributed with key insights on design innovation, modern branding strategies, and digital outreach.

The seminar featured panel discussions and interactive sessions, enabling students, young researchers, and budding entrepreneurs to explore innovative start-up models and business frameworks centered around traditional crafts. Participants deliberated on themes such as heritage conservation, design development, export potential, digitization, marketing, and incubation opportunities.

Several artisans from the downtown areas of Srinagar enriched the event with their lived experiences, highlighting on-ground realities and the resilience of the craft sector. The event also attracted research scholars and experts from reputed institutions and central universities.

Principal Professor Tehmina Yousuf, in her concluding remarks, lauded the Innovation & Incubation Centre for conceptualizing and executing a seminar of contemporary relevance in the campus. She reiterated the College’s commitment towards supporting indigenous craft practices, artisan welfare, and community-based entrepreneurship through sustained academic and institutional engagement.

The event concluded with a formal vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Zahoor A. Jhat, who expressed sincere gratitude to all speakers, participants, guests, media representatives, and college administration for their support in making the seminar a resounding success. The proceedings of the seminar were eloquently anchored by Miss Tanzella, a 5th Semester student of the College.

SRINAGAR, AUGUST 4 – Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Kashmir, today announced release of ₹33.34 lakh for the implementation of its Karkhandar Scheme across the Kashmir Division.
This significant financial allocation, disbursed to the respective Assistant Directors of Handicrafts and Handloom, underscores the Government’s commitment to preserving and promoting the rich artisanal heritage of the region while ensuring the welfare and economic upliftment of craftsmen.
The Karkhandar Scheme, notified in 2021, is a landmark initiative designed to revive languishing crafts like pottery and foster sustainable development of the craft sector in UT of J&K. Implemented by the Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom, the scheme aims to empower artisans, enhance skill development, and boost the livelihoods of craftsmen through structured interventions.
Highlighting its role in revival of languishing crafts, a spokesman of the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Kashmir, stated that the Karkhandar Scheme focuses on preserving traditional crafts such as walnut wood carving, silver filigree, carpet weaving, Kani shawl weaving, Khatamband, papier-mâché, and others like Sozni, tapestry, and engraved copperware, which face a shortage of skilled artisans. “It prioritizes crafts at risk of extinction, ensuring their legacy endures. It also facilitates skill transfer from master craftsmen, including National/State/Shilp Guru awardees, to the younger generation,” he said, adding meritorious trainees from departmental training centres receive advanced training in nearby Karkhanas to enhance their expertise and productivity.
Trainees receive a monthly stipend of ₹2,000 during the six-month training period, disbursed via direct bank transfer. “Karkhandars are provided ₹25,000 in two equal installments to cover logistics, tools, equipment, and raw materials, along with ₹2,000 per trainee per month to support their efforts.
This financial release of Rs. 33.34 lakh will empower Assistant Directors, in first phase, of Anantnag, Budgam, Baramulla, Kulgam, and Srinagar districts to accelerate the scheme’s implementation, ensuring artisans receive the necessary resources, training, and support to thrive.

SRINAGAR, JULY 17: Demonstrating its sustained efforts in skill development and artisan empowerment, Department of Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir, has recorded a cumulative revenue generation of more than ₹1.07 crore over the last three financial years through sale of products crafted by trainees at departmental training centres across the valley.

In a press statement issued here today, spokesman from the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, stated that this revenue, fully deposited in the Government Treasuries, has been realized from the sale of a wide range of handicraft and handloom products produced by trainees enrolled in over 400 departmental training centres which include Pashmina products, Sozni, Crewel, Chain Stitch, Kani Shawl, carpets and a variety of handloom fabrics, reflecting the region’s rich craft heritage. “This also reflects a perfect example of how funds released by the Government are recycled back into the system and utilized for development activities related to promotion of craft sector,” he added.

Department views this achievement as a testament to its ongoing efforts in nurturing traditional skills and enhancing the earning potential of local artisans. By integrating practical, market-oriented production into training modules, Department ensures that trainees gain not just technical proficiency but also a real-time understanding of commercial aspects of the craft sector.

Efforts are underway to further modernize training infrastructure, introduce contemporary design elements and forge stronger market linkages through departmental sale outlets and participation in national-level exhibitions. These steps aim to ensure that products crafted by trainees find broader markets while helping preserve the unique handicraft and handloom traditions of Kashmir.
The Department remains committed to expanding these initiatives, thereby creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for the youth and artisan community of the Union Territory.

Also provides monthly stipend ranging from ₹1000 to ₹3750; ₹7500 under Guru-Shishya Scheme

SRINAGAR, JULY 11: In a major boost to expand the pool of trained human resource, Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT), Srinagar, under the aegis of Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Kashmir, has master trained around 11,000 carpet weavers from different districts, under various skill development programmes.

The weavers have been trained on modified carpet looms which shall go a long way in penetrating niche markets for the famed hand-knotted carpets, which is the second most exported handmade product from Kashmir.

In a press statement released here today, Director IICT, Zubair Ahmad said that the services of master trainers who have distinguished themselves in the field of carpet weaving are availed to train skilled and semi-skilled carpet weavers in different batches, both in IICT premises at Bagh-e-Ali Mardan Khan and carpet clusters of different districts. “This face-to-face interaction and training shall go a long way in safeguarding the rare skill of weaving intricate hand-knotted carpets, which have a huge export market, both within and outside the country,” he stated.

The exports of hand-knotted carpets from Kashmir have touched ₹838.70 crore in the last three financial years, despite challenges due to global conflicts which have affected markets in Middle East and other destinations.

In order to make the training programmes more attractive for trainees, IICT also provides monthly stipend as per Scheme Guidelines. “The stipend for these short-term training programmes of 4-6 months’ duration with intake capacity of 20, ranges from ₹1000 to ₹3750 per month under various skill-based schemes of Ministry of Textiles,” he added.

The training programmes include Skill Upgradation and Capacity Building Training & Short-Term Training Programmes of the Ministry of Textiles and Skill Development Training Programme of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

The Director also stated that under the Guru-Shishya Hastshilp Programme, the services of National Awardees shall be availed to provide skill upgradation training to registered carpet weavers. “Under this 2-month training programme, each trainee shall be provided a stipend of ₹7500 per month,” he stated.

Mir Arshad’s papier mache wall plate wins both heart and art

SRINAGAR, FEBRUARY 25: In yet another recognition at prestigious global event, Mir Arshad Hussain, a noted papier mache craftsman from Bota Kadal, Lal Bazar, has been conferred with the first prize and Diploma of Honor at the 9th International Fajr Festival of Handicrafts, Sarv-e-Simin, at Tehran, by the Iranian Minister for Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyed Reza Salehi Amiri.
Mir Arshad’s entry of papier mache wall plate, which presented a exemplary fusion of traditional and contemporary motifs of Kashmir, scored over 7000 other global entries to receive the first prize in the said festival, along with cash award of ₹65,000.
The festival showcased outstanding and valuable works crafted by master artisans and renowned designers from all over the world, which set highest standards of excellence and originality.
One of the highlights of the award remains the Honorable Mention by the Iranian Culture Minister addressed to Mir Arshad in which he attributed the award to his invaluable efforts and innovative approach in elevating handicrafts. ‘Your creations through your masterful hands stand as a testament to skill, passion and dedication to the cultural and artistic legacy of the world,” it read.
Director, Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir, Mussarat Islam met and congratulated Mir Arshad for this rare honour and hoped this international recognition will inspire many others to take famed Kashmir handicrafts on the next pedestal.
An IT engineer by qualification and master craftsman by choice, Mir Arshad extended full support to the Handicrafts and Handloom Department Kashmir, in its endeavour to promote unique crafts like papier mache, which have huge potential in the overseas markets.

Pashmina Lab augmented to enhance testing, QR coding

Over 17,000 women trained, paid ₹36 Cr stipend in last 4 yrs

SRINAGAR, FEBRUARY 22: The world-famous handicraft and handloom products worth ₹2,567 crore have been exported from Kashmir valley in the last two financial years and the first three quarters of the current fiscal.

However, the exports in the current financial year have been hit by global conflicts.

Giving details, a spokesperson of the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Kashmir, hoped that the exports are expected to touch cumulatively ₹3000 crore for 3 years, by the end of the last quarter of the CFY.

As per the figures available with the Department, while Kani and Sozni shawls lead exports worth ₹1105 crore, hand-knotted carpet exports stood at ₹728 crore in the last three years. The other products exported include crewel, papier mache, chain stitch and wood carving.

The spokesman further stated that the Department shall facilitate export of hand-made Kashmir products for which a subsidy scheme is available, giving incentive of 10% of the total volume of handloom/ handicraft export products to any country with maximum reimbursement up to ₹5 crore in favour of the eligible exporters registered with the Department,” he added.

Highlighting the Government’s strategy for welfare of artisan community, the spokesman said the Department has a well-established Design Studio in the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology and unique prototypes conceived by the School of Designs and Craft Development Institute. “The artisans can access these contemporary designs and packaging models to add value to their products in niche high-end markets,” he added.

For welfare of artisans, the Department has several flagship schemes in operation including Credit Card Scheme, Mudra, Financial Assistance Scheme for Cooperatives, Karkhandar Scheme and Education Scholarship for the children of craftsmen.

Under the National Wool Policy, the department has selected 100 weaver beneficiaries for distribution of free modified modern steel carpet looms in Kashmir ata total cost of Rs.43.70 lakh and the department will pitch for another 250 improvised looms for distribution in the next financial year.

Emphasizing upon the department’s focus on testing and QR coding of GI registered craft products to weed out sale of counterfeit products, the spokesperson stated that the department has augmented manpower and equipment at its premier Pashmina Testing and Quality Certification Centre (PTQCC) and IICT lab for carpets. “The waitlist of 6 craft products including Sozni, Kani, Walnut Wood Carving, Khatamband, Papier Mache and Kashmir Pashmina at PTQCC has come down from 1700 on February 5 to 671 as on February 21, after strengthening of manpower,” he said, adding that the lab will be further strengthened after more staff shall undergo necessary training at the Wool Research Association, Thane.

He further stated that the proposal for additional equipment including Scanning Electron Microscope and a Digital Microscope have been submitted in the Union Ministry of Textiles, which shall further enhance the speed of testing and certification in PTQCC.

Laying stress upon promotion of training of female artisans, the spokesman stated that as many as 17,182 women have been trained in various crafts at 432 Elementary and Advanced Training Centres of the Department in the last 4 years. “Stipend to the tune of ₹36.27 crore has also been disbursed amongst these trainees,” he said, while describing training as the core activity of the Department, aimed at linking them with master craftsmen under the Karkandhar Scheme.

SRINAGAR, FEBRUARY 11: In a facilitative welfare move, the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Kashmir has exclusively reserved every Friday of the week for labelling of famed Kashmir Handicraft products belonging to the artisan and weaver community in its Pashmina Testing & Quality Certification Centre (PTQCC), here.

PTQCC is one-stop centre in Craft Development Institute (CDI) for branding and QR coding of 06 world-famous GI registered crafts of Kashmir Pashmina, Kani and Sozni embroidery, Khatamband Ceiling, Walnut Wood Carving and Papier Mache.

Giving details, a spokesperson of the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, advised the artisans and weavers to approach PTQCC on Fridays to get their products certified and QR coded in a time-bound manner. “Friday has been specifically chosen as reserve day to facilitate the artisans and weavers who usually take their weekly off that day,” he added.

 

NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 27: Union Ministry of Tourism today announced Aru village, part of Pahalgam in Anantnag, as one of the winners of prestigious ‘Best Tourism Villages of India’ award.

The announcement was made on the occasion of World Tourism Day.

Introduced in 2023, the Best Tourism Villages Competition aims to identify and recognize villages that preserve and promote their cultural and natural heritage through community based values and sustainable practices.

In the second edition of the competition, a total of 991 applications were received from 30 States and Union Territories. After a rigorous evaluation process, 36 villages were selected as winners across eight categories.

Aru village was declared Best Tourism Village in the “Adventure Tourism Category”. Recently, it has been noted for its unique blend of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and community-based tourism initiatives.

The recognition of Aru village as a ‘Best Tourism Village of India’ is a testament to its efforts in preserving and promoting its cultural and natural assets. It is expected to further boost tourism in the region and contribute to the local economy.

SIBTAIN MEHDI

SRINAGAR: Mehwar Style Solution, which deals in all types of shoes, bags, and accessories, opened its first outlet here at the 2nd floor, Jannat Complex, Hawal, in Srinagar on Tuesday.
A young entrepreneur from Kashmir, Ali Razvi, and a female entrepreneur from Kashmir, Maria Reshi, inaugurated the first outlet of Mehwar Style Solution.
The inauguration of the outlet was held amid much fanfare. The owner of the outlet was present there alongside invited dignitaries and guests.

With a game changer G 20 event, J&K fast emerging as destination for hosting major global, corporate events; Tourism Deptt makes necessary arrangements for the visit

SRINAGAR, AUGUST 28: In a major fillip to MICE tourism and in a historic development for the tourism industry of J&K, a group of global Beauty Divas visited Kashmir today, as a prelude to the Miss World pageant 2023 with Tourism Department making all necessary arrangements for the visit.

The group includes Miss World, Karolina Bielawska; Miss World Caribbean, Emmy Pena; Miss World America, Shree Saini; Miss World India, Sini Shetty; Miss World England, Jessica Gagen; Miss Asia, Pricilia Carla Saputri Yules; Chairman and CEO of Miss World Organization, Julia Eric Morley and her team; Ms. Rouble Negi, founder Rouble Negi Art Foundation.

The visit of these Beauty Divas was curated by the Tourism Department in collaboration with Rouble Nagi Art Foundation.

The visit of these celebrities is expected to give a further push to MICE tourism in J&K which is already witnessing a very encouraging scenario after the successful holding of 3rd Working Group meeting of G 20 countries here in May this year. The G 20 event which has proved to be a game changer and a transformative event for the local tourism has led to an increased footfall of foreign travellors visiting the UT which has gone up several notches after the successful event. Several national and international corporate bodies and companies have planned their events in UT and many high profile dignitaries have visited the region in the meantime.

In such a scenario, this visit by renowned beauty queens of the world to Kashmir is going to draw the attention of global tourism market to what J&K is offering in terms of natural beauty, corporate events, wedding tourism, local craft and cuisine besides positioning J&K as a destination to hold major global and corporate events. This is expected to upscale the local tourism, craft and economy like never before.

This positive turn around in the tourism scenario has been achieved with a focused direction and attention from Prime Minister, Narendra Modi whose personalized leadership has led to such a transformative change in the tourism sector of the UT. Home Minister, Amit Shah and Lt. Governor, Manoj Sinha have continuously been evaluating the progress of this positive change and guiding the Department in achieving the desired results.

The delegation held an informal chat with the media here.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman, PME, Jamil Saidi described Kashmir as the crowning jewel of India which has a special place for him. He said the majestic landscape and warm people here reminds him of unity in diversity. He thanked Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha and the Tourism Department for hosting them.

Replying to a question, Mr. Saidi said J&K is poised to host such major global beauty and corporate events for which he complimented the people concerned.

The visit of global Beauty Divas to Jammu & Kashmir promises to be a blend of elegance, artistry and cultural exchange. Embracing the ethos of art, culture, and international allure, the visit will not only showcase the region’s picturesque landscapes but also provide a global platform for local artists and artisans to interact.

During the visit, divas are expected to immerse themselves in Jammu and Kashmir’s scenic beauty and local artistry with an opportunity to engage with the local community, highlighting the region’s unique heritage.