Rs 212 Cr Papier Mache Exports in 10 Years: Handicrafts Department  | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Kashmir, on Saturday said papier mache products worth Rs 212.06 crore have been exported from the Valley over the past decade, an official spokesman said.

According to the spokesperson, the department currently operates 19 training centres across the Kashmir Division, providing hands-on instruction in papier mache to nearly 400 artisans annually through elementary and advanced courses. Over the years, as many as 8,102 new artisans have been trained and inducted into the craft.

“A large number of artisans are still in the unorganised sector, and efforts are underway to register them so they can avail benefits under various government flagship schemes,” the spokesperson said.

To recognise excellence and sustain traditional skills, 25 master craftsmen have been conferred with UT-level awards over the last decade. The department also highlighted national recognition received by prominent papier mache artists, including Fayaz Ahmad Jan, a Padma Shri awardee, and Iqbal Hussain Khan, honoured with the Shilp Guru award.

The craft also features prominently in the department’s branding and outreach initiatives. Under the ‘Know Your Artisan’ campaign of the Soulful Kashmir brand, papier mache has been given special representation alongside walnut wood carving in the non-textile segment.

Artisans are regularly recommended to the Jammu and Kashmir Trade Promotion Organisation (JKTPO) for participation in major national and regional trade fairs, including the India International Trade Fair at Bharat Mandapam, Surajkund Mela in Haryana, Gandhi Shilp Bazaar and other high-profile exhibitions aimed at expanding market access.

On the export front, the department said artefacts worth Rs 212.06 crore were shipped to outside markets over the last 10 years, the highest among non-textile crafts in the Kashmir Division.

To ensure skill transmission from senior craftsmen to younger generations, the department has rolled out the Karkhandar Scheme, focusing on preservation of traditional crafts including papier mache, walnut wood carving, silver filigree, carpet weaving, Kani shawls, Khatamband, Sozni embroidery, tapestry and engraved copperware.

Further strengthening the sector’s market credibility, the department has secured Geographical Indication (GI) registration for papier mache crafts, covering both sakhta and naqashi techniques. Authorised GI users can avail testing and QR code-based labelling facilities at the PTQCC, CDI Srinagar, a move expected to help artisans access new domestic and international markets.

The department maintained that these measures collectively demonstrate sustained growth and institutional backing for the craft, rather than decline.