SRINAGAR: Four artisans from Jammu and Kashmir have been conferred with national-level honours under the Shilp Guru Awards and National Awards for Handicrafts, instituted by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles. The awards were presented at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, in the presence of the President of India.
Two artisans from Kashmir received the prestigious National Award for their excellence in traditional crafts. Khwaja Nazir Ali was awarded in the Artistic Textiles (Sozni Shawl) category for his mastery in Sozni embroidery, while Manzoor Ahmad Khan received the National Award in Handmade Carpet, recognising his contribution to the Valley’s celebrated carpet weaving tradition.
In addition, two artisans were conferred with the Certificate of Excellence, which acknowledges high-quality craftsmanship and emerging mastery. Mashkoora Hameed was honoured for her work in Sozni shawls, and Mir Arshad received the Certificate of Excellence in Paper Mache.
Providing details about this year’s participation, Raja Rahail Rashid, Assistant Director at the Handicrafts Service Centre (HSC) Srinagar, said that 49 artisans from districts including Srinagar, Budgam, Baramulla, Anantnag, Pulwama, and Ganderbal submitted entries for consideration. Of these, four were selected for national recognition.
The ceremony was attended by Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh, Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita, Secretary (Textiles) Neelam Shami Rao, and Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) Amrit Raj, alongside artisans, designers, exporters, and industry representatives.
The honours highlight the continued contribution of Jammu and Kashmir’s artisans to the preservation of traditional crafts and reflect the role of national platforms in offering visibility and institutional support to the sector.
