Honorable Governor Shri Dushyant Gautam visited the Handicraft and Handloom Department; emphasized the need to recognize local art at the national and international levels
Today, Honorable Governor of Sikkim, Shri Dushyant Gautam, visited the Handicraft and Handloom Department located in Gangtok. During the visit, he carefully observed the rich traditional arts and crafts of the state. During the visit, the Secretary of the Department, Smt. Karmada Doma Yutsu, and the Director of the Department, Shri T. T. Bhutia, welcomed the Honorable Governor and provided detailed information about the functioning of each department.
The Honorable Governor visited various training and production departments of the Department, including the particularly ancient weaving department, where artisans weave woolen textiles with designs and traditional patterns depicting Sikkim culture, the Multicraft department,
The handicraft training section, where modern and traditional techniques are taught for weaving traditional local fabrics, the wood carving section, and the thanka painting section, where trainees give a vivid form to Buddhist philosophy and spiritual art through natural colors, and the mask making section, where colorful and grand wooden masks are prepared, was observed.
During the tour, the Honorable Governor interacted with the trainees and trainers. He asked the artisans about their inspiration and appreciated their deep interest in art. During this time, he also encouraged the artisans. He also inquired about the designs to be made to meet market demand for the products prepared.
In addition, after completing the training, information was also obtained on the availability of means of self-employment and economic self-reliance.
On this occasion, the Honorable Governor praised the dedication of artisans and their efforts to preserve their cultural heritage. He emphasized that such handicrafts not only keep the unique cultural identity of Sikkim alive, but also play a significant role in strengthening the local economy, providing self-employment opportunities to rural youth, and promoting women empowerment.
The Governor told the officials that the branding and marketing of these Sikkim products should be taken to the national and international level, so that Sikkim's art can find its rightful place in the markets of the country and abroad.
