EPCH organises awareness seminar on “Export Promotion of Handicrafts from Himachal Pradesh”

Dharamshala, 02nd June 2025: The Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) organised an Awareness Seminar on “Export Promotion of Handicrafts from Himachal Pradesh” at Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh on 02nd June 2025. The session brought together key stakeholders from the region’s including Handicraft Exporter, young entrepreneurs and artisans, to bridge the gap between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary market demands, fostering sustainable development while preserving the rich artisanal heritage of Himachal Pradesh.

On this occasion, the Design & Technology Development Workshop (DDW) on Kangra Painting Fusion with Wood Craft was also inaugurated, marking a significant initiative aimed at promoting design innovation and skill enhancement, informed R. K. Verma, Executive Director, EPCH.

Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Director General in role of Chief Mentor – EPCH and Chairman IEML; Vice Chairmen – EPCH Dr. Neeraj Khanna, Sagar Mehta; EPCH CoA Members:- Ravi K Passi, Raj Kumar Malhotra, Girish Agarwal, Avdesh Agarwal, Sharad Kumar Bansal, Salman Azam, Rajesh Jain, Prince Malik, Zeeshan Ali, O. P. Prahladka, Pradip Muchhala, Ms. Jesmina Zeliang, Mr. Mohd. Ausaf, Simrandeep Singh Kohli; Santosh Anand, Assistant Director, DC (Handicrafts); Mr. Najmul Islam, prominent member exporter; R. K. Verma, Executive Director – EPCH; Session Experts:- Dr. Swati Sharma and Ms. Alka Rawat, Assistant Professor, NIFT Kangra and large number of artisans and entrepreneurs from Himachal Pradesh were present – informed Rajesh Rawat, Addl. Executive Director – EPCH.

Highlighting the importance of seminar, Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Director General in the role of Chief Mentor – EPCH and Chairman IEML shared that “we at EPCH believe that the success of our handicrafts sector lies in collaboration, innovation, and knowledge-sharing. This seminar is a testament to our dedication to strengthening the handicrafts export ecosystem across the country, including the vibrant state of Himachal Pradesh. He further added that today we are also inaugurating the Design & Technology Development Workshop (DDW) on Kangra Painting Fusion with Wood Craft with the support from O/o Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India, aimed at empowering artisans with design innovation and skill development. Building on this initiative, EPCH will conduct more such programs on different crafts in the future course to further strengthen and diversify the handicrafts sector of the region.” He urged the designers and participants to develop new products which can be showcased at next IHGF Delhi Fair to be held at 13 – 17 October, 2025 at India Expo Centre & Mart, Delhi/NCR.

Dr. Neeraj Khanna, Vice Chairman, EPCH, shared that “Himachal Pradesh, a land of timeless traditions and natural beauty, is renowned for its exquisite handicrafts, ranging from intricate wood carvings, handwoven shawls of Kullu and Kinnaur, Chamba rumals, metal crafts and vibrant Kangra paintings. These crafts are a testimony to the rich cultural heritage and skilled craftsmanship passed down through generations.”

Adding further to seminar’s objectives Sagar Mehta, Vice Chairman II – EPCH said that “Our objective extends beyond merely promoting exports; it is about nurturing a sustainable ecosystem where artisans of Himachal Pradesh can flourish by harmonizing their rich traditional skills with contemporary market demands. Through this seminar, we aim to empower them with critical knowledge, expose them to global trends, and facilitate their seamless integration into international value chains.”

All the prominent exporters present on the occasion shared their experience over the course of their business and highlighted the potential of the craft of Himachal both at domestic and international levels and encouraged artisans to take advantage of this design development workshop and develop products based on domestic/international market requirements. Specifically, Rajesh Kumar Jain urged the artisan to embrace “Abki Baar Himachal se Vyapaar”.

R. K. Verma, Executive Director, EPCH, stated that at EPCH, our mission goes beyond export promotion; we are committed to enabling the long-term success of the handicraft industry and MSMEs. This seminar empowered participants with practical tools and insights that are crucial in today’s business environment.”

Dr. Swati Sharma and Ms. Alka Rawat, Assistant Professor, NIFT Kangra, gave a detailed presentation on new emerging design trends that the global market is looking for and manufacturers should prioritise taking into account the most recent trends through which customers are attracted.

Questions pertaining to Design, Trend & Forecast and export procedures were asked by the participants. The same were answered by the experts and concluded with positive interaction with members exporters.

Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts is a nodal agency for promotion of exports of handicrafts from the Country and create brand image of magic of the gifted hands of millions of artisans and crafts persons engaged in production of home, lifestyle, textiles, furniture and fashion jewellery & accessories products in different craft clusters of the Country. An estimated provisional export of handicrafts during the year 2024-25 was Rs. 32,971.50 Crores (US$ $ 3898.46 Million), informed by Mr. R. K. Verma, Executive Director, EPCH.