Pulwama, Jan 15: Around 30 tribal women from a far-flung village in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district have successfully completed a 50-day training program on crewel embroidery.
This initiative, financed by the Office of Commissioner Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, under the National Handicrafts Development Programme, has opened new doors for these talented women of the village of Pulwama.
Mehmooda Akhtar, a 21-year-old resident of Sangerwani and a final-year student at Amar Singh College, Srinagar, is now a skilled artisan after dedicating around two months to crewel work in her village.
The training equipped her with expertise in various designs.
Sabia Farooq, another accomplished graduate from Sangerwani Pulwama, emphasized the practicality of their newfound skills.
Learning hand-stitching designs for bags, pillow covers, curtains, pouches, bed sheets, and coverings, she highlighted how the women can now engage in crewel embroidery during their free time, enabling them to be financially independent.
Crucially, the women expressed gratitude for the free crewel embroidery training provided by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
“The initiative not only covered all necessary training materials, including needles, cloth, and yarn but also offered a stipend of ₹15,000 to each participant,” Mehmooda said, applauding the Ministry of Textiles for imparting a valuable skill that not only helps them in preserving cultural heritage but also provides a sustainable means of livelihood to them.
The training program was implemented through the Ramzana Educational Charitable Society (RECS) Foundation, a local non-governmental organization. Officials of the foundation said that around 108 women from the area had applied for the training.
“However, only applications from 30 women were approved by the authorities,” they said.
Officials revealed that the National Handicrafts Development Programme (NHDP) is a comprehensive scheme supporting handicraft clusters and artisans.
“It offers end-to-end assistance, encompassing basic inputs, infrastructure support, and capacity enhancement for target market engagement,” they said, adding that NHDP’s focus is mainstreaming artisans, preserving prestigious crafts, and providing marketing platforms, resilient infrastructure, and skill training.
“It ensures a level playing field against machine-made products, fostering growth and sustainability.”
