Chandigarh September 4, 2022
University Institute of Fashion Technology and Vocational Development, Department of Anthropology and University Institute of Applied Management Sciences, Panjab University organized a webinar titled “HANDICRAFTS AND ENTREPRENUERSHIP”. More than 270 participants- Faculty, Research Scholars, Students from various departments of Panjab University, Kurukshetra University, Colleges of the city and the Region attended this webinar.
Dr Rita Kant, Faculty, UIFT & VD, Panjab University welcomed the speakers and participants of the webinar. She further stated that Indian artisans play a significant role in preserving the handicrafts, which helps the economy and foreign exchange revenues while also generating many jobs. Welcoming the distinguished gathering, Dr Anu H. Gupta, Chairperson, University Institute of Fashion Technology & Vocational Development, Panjab University introduced the keynote speaker ‘Smt. Anar Patel’ to the participants. She mentioned that handcrafted products are priced possessions and are integral part of every Indian house. The skills to develop these can be a source of income generation. There is a huge potential and scope in this sector to work for entrepreneurship and design, management and other academic institutes can also contribute and work hand in hand with the local community in bringing out fresh perspectives and ideas.
In the Inaugural address, Prof. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Panjab University, Chandigarh stressed the importance of innovation and start-ups and academia and industry partnership-internships. Though there are lot of initial difficulties in establishing start-ups but the actual challenge lies in sustaining the same. He also highlighted the talent of students from Rural Punjab specially with regards to handcrafted products and mentioned that the youth can be motivated and channelized to start their own ventures. He complemented the start-ups at Panjab University and emphasised how the institution works closely with the local community, industry, and organisations. He appreciated the efforts of Craftroots for contributing towards the crafts and the artisans and also invited the keynote speaker, Smt. Anar Patel to Panjab University to interact with young minds to work in the direction of entrepreneurship.
Smt. Anar Patel,the keynote speaker is a Social Entrepreneur and a Founder of Craftroots, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The mission for establishing ‘Craftroots’ was to revive, preserve and promote the craft traditions of India and to empower the handicraft artisans across the country. Smt. Anar Patel is recipient of many awards like ‘Gujarat Gaurav Award’, ‘All Grassroots Women of the Decade Achievers Award’ , ‘Sakhi Shaktiaward’ and is mentor to many organizations such as YUVA Unstoppable, Seva Café, ESI, Moved by Love, and is engaged in various social upliftment and welfare activities. She recently has been appointed as the chairperson of Khadi and Handicraft Promotion committee of Business Women’s Wing of Gujarat Chamber of Commerce.
In her keynote address she narrated incidents of her life that how she got connected with the women and children of the underprivileged section of the society. She elaborated that during the earthquake in Gujarat, she found that women created beautiful handcrafted products. She further elaborated how she worked with her team on those products after a SWOT analysis to further diversify the product range to make it saleable in the market. She mentioned that it is important to work with ‘Head, Heart and Hand’.
An elaborated case study of revival of ‘Mashru Textiles’ was narrated by her giving insights into the technicalities of the production process and working with the artisans. She also mentioned that it is important to uplift the lowest part of the chain. Fair wages are important to uplift the artisans, training them regularly, co-creating with them and calculating the cost of products keeping the crafts person in the centre is important. She also emphasised the importance of Relationship building with the community to make them work together and towards a common goal – Entrepreneurship.
Prof. Monika Aggarwal, Director, UIAMS, Panjab University in her closing remarks appreciated the management lessons discussed in the webinar. Prof. Monika concluded how appropriately Smt. Anar Patel discussed about application of various concepts of management like worker participation, compensation, pricing and costing, marketing, Customer relationship management, HR, Training and Development, New Product Development and other principles of management followed at Craftsroots. She further remarked that the webinar also highlighted various interdisciplinary approaches, an important component of NEP 2020, for Entrepreneurship.
There were many queries followed by discussions on various aspects of Handicrafts entrepreneurship ranging from design, crafts, costing, management, training etc.Dr. Maninder Kaur, Chairperson, Department of Anthropology, thanked the speaker for an exceedingly engaging session.The webinar was extremely appreciated by the participants.
