National Handicrafts Awards 2025 Deadline Extended | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) under the Ministry of Textiles has extended the last date for submission of applications for the National Handicrafts Awards 2025, including the Shilp Guru Award and National Award, till April 30, 2026.

A master craftsman at work in Srinagar. KL image: Bilal BahadurAs per the revised schedule, applications can now be submitted at Handicraft Service Centres and Regional Offices up to the end of April 2026.

The authorities have also clarified the eligibility criteria, stating that only artisans holding identity cards issued on or before March 31, 2026, will be considered eligible. Artisans receiving identity cards after this date will be eligible to apply in the subsequent year.

The National Handicrafts Awards and Shilp Guru Awards, among the highest honours in the handicrafts sector, are conferred by the Ministry of Textiles to recognize excellence, innovation, and the preservation of traditional crafts. The National Awards have been presented since 1965, while the Shilp Guru Awards were introduced in 2002 to honour master artisans for their exceptional contribution to sustaining India’s heritage crafts.