Prime Highlights:
- Kashmiri women artisans showcased their handmade crafts at the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) for the first time, under the Studio Saksham initiative by the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation.
- The initiative empowers rural women to become skilled, confident, and financially independent, while promoting India’s rich craft heritage.
Key Facts:
- The exhibition, held from December 4 to 8, features products from over 6,000 women artisans across India.
- The Kashmiri collection includes Pashmina shawls, Aari-embroidered cushion covers, and traditional crewel work, highlighting Kashmir’s cultural legacy.
Background:
Kashmiri women artisans displayed their handmade crafts for the first time at the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) at Ranjit Avenue. The display was part of Studio Saksham, a program by the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation (RNAF) that helps rural women gain skills, confidence, and financial independence.
The exhibition, held from December 4 to 8, features products from over 6,000 women artisans across India. The stall also includes crafts from Telangana, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra, but the main focus was on the Kashmiri collection, which includes Pashmina shawls, Aari-embroidered cushion covers, and traditional crewel work.
Many Kashmiri women with RNAF have moved from training programs to becoming skilled master artisans. This event is an important step, as the foundation now connects these artisans directly with buyers in Punjab, without middlemen.
Rouble Nagi, founder of RNAF, said, “Our vision is simple: to make women in villages Saksham, capable, confident, and financially independent. When visitors support Studio Saksham, they are not just buying a product; they are uplifting a woman, preserving a tradition, and strengthening the cultural heartbeat of India.”
In addition to Kashmiri crafts, the stall features a diverse range of regional products, including embroidered kurtis from Uttar Pradesh, silk sarees from Gujarat, rugs from Rajasthan, and cotton satin co-ord sets from Mumbai.
Encouraged by the positive response at PITEX, the foundation has announced plans to establish a permanent centre in Punjab. The centre will focus on training local women in reviving traditional Punjabi crafts such as Phulkari and modernizing them for national and global markets.
Nagi added, “We aim to turn local craft clusters into thriving economic ecosystems powered by women, creating sustainable livelihoods and preserving India’s rich artisanal heritage.”
