The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee will present the Shilp Guru Awards and National Awards for the year 2015 to master craftspersons, at Rastrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre (RBCC), New Delhi tomorrow.
The Union Textiles Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani; MoS, Textiles, Shri Ajay Tamta; Secretary, Textiles, Smt. Rashmi Verma and Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Shri Alok Kumar would also be present on the occasion.
Shilp Guru Awards
When a skill is pursued with both inspiration and dedication, it creates an enviable tradition. When the human spirit engages body, mind and heart to innovate and to perfect the art with zeal, it leads to the creation of a living legend. Shilp Guru Awards are given to craftspersons who are such living legends.
The Shilp Guru Awards were launched by the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) on 15th November, 2002, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the resurgence of Handicrafts in India. On the occasion, the then President of India Late Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam honoured 10 masters of living traditions, responsible for the maintenance of the living cultural heritage of India.
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Since 2002 up to 2014, 117 artisans responsible for maintaining craft traditions have been selected for the award. It was decided that the awards should be given a countrywide coverage through the Audio-visual media to make people aware of the importance of recognizing heritage masters for their outstanding contribution in the field of crafts and of the importance of crafts in the socio-economic livelihood of the vast segment of the rural population. While the award is given in recognition of excellent craftsmanship and the major role played by them in continuing craft as a vital part of traditional heritage, it is also necessary to recognize product excellence, keeping in view global market trends.
From the year of its inception the Shilp Guru selection process has undergone some changes and since 2005 the following criteria are being used.
The selection of Shilp Guru is done from amongst those who are hereditary masters, who received the National Award at the very inception of the scheme and who are alive or whose children are carrying on with the tradition and have made a valuable contribution in the development, creativity and expansion of knowledge in their craft.
Selection of Shilp Guru has to be from among some extraordinarily skilled masters whose work has not been recognized and who deserve the title of Shilp Guru because of their contribution in keeping alive the craft skill, reviving a languishing craft, setting up of institutions for training of Master Craftspersons.
Under exceptional circumstances Shilp Guru Award can be presented to a person who may not be a hereditary craftsperson, but who has mastered the technique and has been responsible for the revival of tradition, training of masters and contributing to the development of technology.
Individuals who have not trained masters to carry on the tradition shall not be considered for awarding the title of the Shilp Guru.
One important criterion of selection is the contribution of the Shilp Guru to the welfare and development of crafts community and to craft sector as a whole.
The Award consists a gold coin, Rs.2,00,000/- in cash, a Tamarapatra, an Angavastram and a certificate.
National Awards
The Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) is implementing a scheme of National Awards for Master craftspersons since 1965. The main objective was to give recognition to the outstanding craftspersons in the Handicraft sector. The awardees represent almost all states of the country, apart from different crafts styles of different locations in the country.
The Award consists of Rs.1,00,000/- in cash, a Tamrapatra, an Angavastram and a certificate. Since 1965 to 2014, 1193 National Awards have been given, out of which 189 are women. The main crafts in which Awards have been given are Metal Engaving, Terracotta, Worli Painting, Madhubani Painting, Paper Machie, Punjabi Tilla Juti, Miniature Painting, Gold Leaf Painting, Pichawai painting, Phad Painting, Hand Block Printing, Bone Carving, Sandal Wood Carving, Tie and Dye Clay Modelling, coconut shell carving, Lac work, Stone Dust, Patta chitra paddy Jewellery & Straw craft & Maru Embroidery.
The Shilp Guru Awards, National Awards and National Merit Certificate will be awarded to a craftsperson only once in a lifetime, to encourage master craftspersons to maintain excellence in craftsmanship and keep alive our old tradition.
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