Craftsmen true ambassadors of J&K’s cultural heritage: CM

Srinagar, Apr 15: In a major boost to promote Kashmir craft sector, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, Wednesday inaugurated the ‘Know Your Artisan’ programme at Kashmir Haat here, under the Handicrafts and Handloom’s ongoing ‘Soulful Kashmir’ brand promotion campaign.
He also inaugurated the new GI Testing Lab, Giant LED Video Walls and launched high precision fibre analysis equipment along with DesignNWeave software, designed by IICT Srinagar.
Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Choudhary, Advisor to Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Zadibal, Tanvir Sadiq, MLA Hazratbal, Salman Sagar along with Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Vikramjit Singh and other senior officers of Industries & Commerce Department were also present on the occasion.
The latest edition of Soulful Kashmir campaign continues the momentum built over the past year, in line with Chief Minister’s commitments made during his Budget Speech, aimed at strengthening ‘Brand Jammu & Kashmir’ and promoting the region’s rich handicrafts and handloom heritage.
Immediately after his arrival, the Chief Minister inaugurated the Giant LED Video Wall installed at Kashmir Haat and the Know Your Artisan programme. He also inspected the Department’s new initiative of Live Demos under ‘Try Your Hands’ segment, set up to provide an immersive experience to the visitors and tourists so that they feel the hard work of artisans and back-end processes involved in making such niche crafts.
The Chief Minister himself tried his hands at warping of yarn, an arduous exercise that goes into handweaving of pashmina. He was specifically impressed by the prototypes on display designed by the School of Designs and CDI.
The Chief Minister later visited the main Exhibition Gallery where 30 display-cum-sale counters offering authentic handmade products have been set up. During his interaction with various Shilp Guru, National and J&K Awardees, he expressed deep appreciation for the initiative and the remarkable craftsmanship on display.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the initiative marks a significant step in promoting Brand J&K and enhancing the visibility of the handicrafts sector. He emphasized that artisans are the custodians of the region’s cultural identity and said the programme aims to provide them direct market access, ensure fair value for their work, and strengthen the authenticity of traditional products.
Chief Minister emphasised upon holding of such events with greater frequency and duration, so that the ‘golden hands’ and rich cultural heritage of Jammu & Kashmir are provided an ideal platform to reach out to a larger target audience. He directed the Handicrafts and Handloom Department to institutionalize the ‘Know Your Artisan’ initiative as a regular feature and to extend the present edition to maximize the outreach and impact.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has urged people to visit Kashmir Haat to experience the world-class art and craft created by the “magical hands” of Kashmiri artisans.
He emphasized that such visits not only allow people to witness the rich cultural heritage of Jammu & Kashmir firsthand, but also directly support local artisans by encouraging the purchase of authentic handmade products.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, who also holds the Industries & Commerce portfolio, reaffirmed the department’s commitment to continue organizing such initiatives across multiple locations, ensuring wider visibility, enhanced market access, greater footprint of visitors and buyers and sustained socio-economic upliftment of the artisan and weaver community.
The event is expected to witness overwhelming response from visitors, tourists and stakeholders, marking yet another significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to position Jammu & Kashmir as a global hub for high-quality handicrafts and handloom products.