Hello everyone, Welcome to my new blog. Today, I am going to share something very interesting about these amazing people. They are the ones who are behind these many popular fashion designers from India who created amazing collections based on our culture. It is none other than the “Kaarigars” or what we called as Artisans.
Kaarigars are the one who make things skillfully with their hands and crafted with love. They are the real changemakers of every fashion designer in India and across the globe who have shown their hidden talent behind our scenes. It’s very important to know them because they are not only the changemakers but also the most unrecognized talented people in India. Yes,it is true.
Have you all ever wondered why these Kaarigars aren’t recognized by many of us even though the handicrafts sector is the second largest employment generator in India and providing employment to more than 7.3 million people, and according to the national census of handicrafts, the Indian handicrafts industry is a billion industry [worldwide] and contributes 2% of the global market. The main reason is the lack of education and resources, for artisans a sense of identity and dignity is missing. The developed world creates a faceless market, where the artisan’s pride has been lost. Isn’t it sad and shocking right?
That’s why Nilesh Priyadarshi, a research fellow from Gujarat Vidyapith came up with the brilliant idea of “Kaarigar Clinic,” India’s first rural business clinic for kaarigars, where he provides the service of a business health checkup for artisans. He is advocating for individual artisan brands which give them value, recognition and dignity. He wants to develop micro artisan entrepreneurs and self-sufficient business models in rural India.
They are also motivated by this world wide recognized movement called “Who made my Clothes” to create awareness as well as their support for their brands to the consumers that doesn’t endanger workers, have fair wages and conserve the environment which would set out to create this movement to shed a light on the fashion industry's supply chain and urge people to hold the industry accountable.
The best example who gained recognition across the world as a Kaarigar Entrepreneur is none other than Pabiben Laxmi Rabari, a vibrant Rabari lady, who struggled in her childhood and became famous at a young age. She dared to start the first women’s artisan brand “pabiben.com.” Today, Pabiben has become a global face for women’s empowerment, earns Rs. 25 lakhs a year and supports 150 women in her community. She has become an inspiration and an idol to many in her community. She has also appeared in many advertisements such as SBI Life Insurance, Franklin Templeton Investments, etc even in reality shows “Kaun Banega Crorepati” and her designs are also used in Bollywood and Hollywood movies too.
The Unique part of Kaarigar Clinic is to develop these artisans as entrepreneurs and make them able to provide livelihood for co-workers so that they do not need to migrate to urban areas in search of livelihood. While earning their livelihood, they preserve their own craft, tradition and culture, and also contribute to solving the burning problem of India by using the Gandhian Rural Business Model where there will be no pollution, no migration, no exploitation, no mass production and equal fair wages to all.
Thus, Kaarigar Clinic will enhance their capability by providing professional services, which is very important to do any kind of income generation activity in today’s world. Can we create a face-to-face market for artisans? Can we develop 1 million Pabiben rather than to develop a 1-billion-dollar company? Yes, we will. Together we can make a difference and every small step creates a big impact. "Think Local, Act Global". Jai Hind.
Bibliography: -
Kaarigar Clinic (2021) Goodmarket.global. Available at: https://www.goodmarket.global/kaarigarclinic (Accessed: 12 October 2021).
LinkedIn. 2021. Kaarigar Clinic. [online] Available at: <https://www.linkedin.com/company/kaarigar-clinic/?originalSubdomain=in> [Accessed 12 October 2021].
Research Gate. 2021. Kaarigar Clinic: Rural Business Clinic for Kaarigars. [online] Available at: <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330134624_Kaarigar_Clinic_Rural_Business_Clinic_for_Kaarigars> [Accessed 12 October 2021].
Kaarigar Clinic: Creating Rural Craft Entrepreneur (2021) Fundraisers.giveindia.org. Available at: https://fundraisers.giveindia.org/fundraisers/kaarigar-clinic-creating-rural-craft-entrepreneur (Accessed: 12 October 2021).
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