Honoring the Hands of Heritage: Anuttara Craft Bazaar Concludes Five-Day Celebration
National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bhopal
The Felicitation and Valedictory Ceremony of “Anuttara – Craft Bazaar 2026” was held at 5:30 PM at Gauhar Mahal, formally concluding the five-day celebration of India’s living craft traditions.
The ceremony was graced by Ms. Smita Bhardwaj, IAS (1992 Batch), Principal Secretary, Cottage and Rural Industries, Government of Madhya Pradesh. In her address, she expressed happiness at meeting the second generation of artisans and appreciated how the younger generation is proudly carrying forward their family craft traditions. She noted that it is encouraging to see artisans collaborating with NIFT students, contributing to design development and innovation.
Director Akhil Sahai also addressed the gathering, describing the Craft Bazaar as a “festival of crafts” where students learn the finer nuances of craftsmanship directly from artisans. He emphasized that such platforms create meaningful exchange of knowledge and mutual respect. Expressing optimism for the future, he shared that the institute aims to make the event even bigger and more impactful in the coming year.
Artisan Shweta Pandya, Founder of The Indian Craft Story, mentioned that she had not expected such an overwhelming response from visitors. She expressed happiness that people truly appreciated her work, especially her concept-driven product innovation. She highlighted that she does not sell regular batuas or kurtas, but focuses on reimagined and innovative craft-based products. She expressed gratitude to NIFT Bhopal for providing this valuable platform and opportunity.
A total of 44 stalls were set up at the Craft Bazaar, with 66 participating artisans representing diverse craft clusters. The exhibition showcased a wide range of traditional crafts including Chanderi and Banarasi weaves, Sanganer block printing, Dabu Printing, Tie-Dye, Batik, Terracotta, Pottery, Bamboo craft, handcrafted jewellery, and other regional textile and handicraft traditions.
During the valedictory session, participating artisans were felicitated in recognition of their invaluable contribution to preserving India’s traditional craft heritage.
The event’s success was made possible through the guidance and coordinated efforts of Akhil Sahai, Director, Anupam Saxena, Craft Initiative Coordinator (CIC), Debojyoti Ganguly, Campus Academic Coordinator (CAC), the Student Development and Activity Council (SDAC), faculty members across departments, the Textile Design Department, dedicated volunteers, students, and staff, along with the enthusiastic participation of artisans.
With the conclusion of the ceremony, Anuttara – Craft Bazaar 2026 ended on a note of appreciation, collaboration, and renewed commitment to sustaining India’s rich and diverse craft legacy.
