Guwahati: The Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) has facilitated the participation of exporter members and artisans from across India at the prestigious INDEX Saudi Arabia (ISRA) fair in Riyadh. This event, the Middle East's longest-running interiors fair, provides a global platform for Indian craftsmen to showcase their expertise in home décor, gifts, candles, incense, and decorative household products.
To highlight Indian handicrafts, EPCH has created a Thematic Display at ISRA, featuring live demonstrations by five master craftspersons from various regions. The office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) deputed artisans specializing in marble inlay from Agra, Usta art on camel leather from Bikaner, bone carving from Lucknow, palm leaf craft from Odisha, and horn and bone craft from Jodhpur.
"Four exporter members and five artisans from different regions of the country participated in the prestigious ISRA event. The fair provided an excellent platform for showcasing their unique products and craftsmanship, emphasizing the diversity of Indian culture and skills," said R.K. Verma, Executive Director of EPCH, in an interview with Business North East.
The EPCH India Pavilion at ISRA aimed to promote Indian handicrafts to international manufacturers, retailers, and brands, opening new opportunities for sourcing Indian products. EPCH plays a vital role in boosting India's handicrafts exports, which amounted to Rs. 32,759 crores (US$ 3,956 million) in 2023-24, a growth of over 9% in rupee terms compared to the previous year.
However, there was no participation from the Northeast region of India at ISRA. Bhaskar Baruah, Project Officer of EPCH, explained the reason: "These fairs are product-specific, and we have only a few members in the NER," when asked about the absence of representation from the region.
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