JOURNAL ARCHIVE
Radhakrishna, Sabita,
Sabita Radhakrishna, a free lance writer contributes regularly to national newspapers and journals. An Executive Committee member of the Crafts Council of India, having previously held positions as Vice Chairperson and Joint Secretary she also serves in two Educational Trusts for children. She has been guest faculty at NIFT, Chennai and was the first to introduce the boutique concept there; at present she is a senior consultant at The Craft and Research Centre, Kalakshetra. Sabita has authored three cookbooks; 'Aharam' on traditional Tamil cuisine won the Gourmand World Cookbook Award. Her book on Indian textiles will be published shortly. Associated with National Television her script for Doordarshan 'Beyond the Storm' won the Transtel West German Award for the best documentary in 1986. She has been on the Central Board of Film Censors. Her play on the travails of the weaver 'Song of the Loom' has premiered in Chennai.
Sabita Radhakrishna, a free lance writer contributes regularly to national newspapers and journals. An Executive Committee member of the Crafts Council of India, having previously held positions as Vice Chairperson and Joint Secretary she also serves in two Educational Trusts for children. She has been guest faculty at NIFT, Chennai and was the first to introduce the boutique concept there; at present she is a senior consultant at The Craft and Research Centre, Kalakshetra. Sabita has authored three cookbooks; 'Aharam' on traditional Tamil cuisine won the Gourmand World Cookbook Award. Her book on Indian textiles will be published shortly. Associated with National Television her script for Doordarshan 'Beyond the Storm' won the Transtel West German Award for the best documentary in 1986. She has been on the Central Board of Film Censors. Her play on the travails of the weaver 'Song of the Loom' has premiered in Chennai.
Rai, Purnima,
A graduate from the School of Planning and Architecture , New Delhi, Purnima Rai after a few years of working on architectural projects, joined the Delhi Crafts Council, a voluntary and non-governmental organisation working for the development of traditional crafts. Since 1986, when she joined the Council, she has worked on multidimensional aspects related to crafts which include exhibitions, design projects, documentation and workshops. She was in charge of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Council in 2016-17 and worked on several specially curated exhibitions .
In 1996 she worked independently on putting up an exhibition of Indian crafts in Brazil. She has designed and helped publish 'Venu Bharati' , a comprehensive volume on bamboo written by Shri Vinoo Kaley.
She is a former President of Delhi Crafts Council and continues to be closely involved with the Council's activities. She has also helped set up ' Kamala' , a craft outlet of Crafts Council of India in New Delhi and is an active member of its Managing Committee.
Raj, Ravi,
Ravi Raj, a passionate paper engineer and craft designer hailing from the tribal region of Chhota Udepur in Gujarat, has transformed his childhood curiosity about paper crafts into a remarkable journey of exploration and impact. Graduating with a master's degree from the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, Jaipur, and holding a bachelor's in fine arts from Patna University, he has fortified his artistic foundation for the innovative work that was to follow. Since 2021, Ravi Raj has been deeply engaged in developing handmade paper project with local Adivasi communities under the wings of the Adivasi Academy. His expertise shines through in his adeptness with a multitude of paper craft techniques, ranging from intricate origami and dynamic paper pop-up designs to architectural models that demonstrate a keen eye for detail. However, it is his dedication to the ancient art of handmade paper-making that truly sets him apart. His brainchild, the social development enterprise "Koraj Crafts," stands as a testament to his innovative spirit. Collaborating harmoniously with the indigenous Adivasi communities in the region, Ravi has harnessed the potential of natural agro waste (banana waste) materials to craft vibrant handmade paper and exquisite products. This venture not only empowers the community but also champions sustainability, echoing his vision for a greener and more culturally enriched world. Ravi Raj's artistic endeavors have also found resonance beyond his community collaborations. His work with both governmental and non-governmental organizations on diverse art and design projects attests to his versatility and creativity. Notably, his dedication to handmade paper development from agro waste material has been recognized through prestigious awards, including the Bhasha fellowship (2021), Khoj fellowship (2021), and Buddha fellowship (2022). These accolades underscore his commitment to sustainability and his dedication to fostering indigenous craftsmanship.
Ravi Raj, a passionate paper engineer and craft designer hailing from the tribal region of Chhota Udepur in Gujarat, has transformed his childhood curiosity about paper crafts into a remarkable journey of exploration and impact. Graduating with a master's degree from the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, Jaipur, and holding a bachelor's in fine arts from Patna University, he has fortified his artistic foundation for the innovative work that was to follow. Since 2021, Ravi Raj has been deeply engaged in developing handmade paper project with local Adivasi communities under the wings of the Adivasi Academy. His expertise shines through in his adeptness with a multitude of paper craft techniques, ranging from intricate origami and dynamic paper pop-up designs to architectural models that demonstrate a keen eye for detail. However, it is his dedication to the ancient art of handmade paper-making that truly sets him apart. His brainchild, the social development enterprise "Koraj Crafts," stands as a testament to his innovative spirit. Collaborating harmoniously with the indigenous Adivasi communities in the region, Ravi has harnessed the potential of natural agro waste (banana waste) materials to craft vibrant handmade paper and exquisite products. This venture not only empowers the community but also champions sustainability, echoing his vision for a greener and more culturally enriched world. Ravi Raj's artistic endeavors have also found resonance beyond his community collaborations. His work with both governmental and non-governmental organizations on diverse art and design projects attests to his versatility and creativity. Notably, his dedication to handmade paper development from agro waste material has been recognized through prestigious awards, including the Bhasha fellowship (2021), Khoj fellowship (2021), and Buddha fellowship (2022). These accolades underscore his commitment to sustainability and his dedication to fostering indigenous craftsmanship.
Ramakrishnan, Shilpa,
Shilpa Ramakrishnan runs a company called VShilpa Education Services that is involved both in the handicraft sector where it provides provide business skills and in the broader education sector providing creative , academic and soft skills. She has in the past worked in organisations of repute like Shoppers Stop, Welspun Retail, TATA Group and Career Launcher. Her interests lie in working with artisans at the grass root level , children and young adults.
Shilpa Ramakrishnan runs a company called VShilpa Education Services that is involved both in the handicraft sector where it provides provide business skills and in the broader education sector providing creative , academic and soft skills. She has in the past worked in organisations of repute like Shoppers Stop, Welspun Retail, TATA Group and Career Launcher. Her interests lie in working with artisans at the grass root level , children and young adults.
Rameshwari Kaul and Vinayak Sharma,
Cotton Rack is a Jaipur based conscious clothing brand with its roots in natural handspun and handwoven textiles. Started in 2014 by Rameshwari Kaul & Vinayak Sharma to address the gap for minimalist clothing in natural fabrics, Cotton Rack successfully uses over 10 different varieties across cottons, silk & wool that is woven in Rajasthan, West Bengal and Jammu & Kashmir. Their work in textiles landed them as a finalist in Lexus Design Awards and continues to progress with their ongoing effort in working on indigenous wool. Vinayak Sharma: After graduating from NIFT, Delhi, Vinayak worked with a leading menswear brand for starting a new brand vertical. In 2014 he co-founded Cotton Rack to address the lack of a responsible & ethical clothing brand and has been the brains behind the brand identity, market outreach, fundraising and communication design. Rameshwari Kaul: Having worked with organizations like KVIC, Directorate of Textiles and a major Indian ethnic brand for creating handcrafted products Rameshwari Kaul co-founded Cotton Rack to address the gap of minimalist designs in handcrafted textiles and has been the brawn behind product development & textile value chain design.
Cotton Rack is a Jaipur based conscious clothing brand with its roots in natural handspun and handwoven textiles. Started in 2014 by Rameshwari Kaul & Vinayak Sharma to address the gap for minimalist clothing in natural fabrics, Cotton Rack successfully uses over 10 different varieties across cottons, silk & wool that is woven in Rajasthan, West Bengal and Jammu & Kashmir. Their work in textiles landed them as a finalist in Lexus Design Awards and continues to progress with their ongoing effort in working on indigenous wool. Vinayak Sharma: After graduating from NIFT, Delhi, Vinayak worked with a leading menswear brand for starting a new brand vertical. In 2014 he co-founded Cotton Rack to address the lack of a responsible & ethical clothing brand and has been the brains behind the brand identity, market outreach, fundraising and communication design. Rameshwari Kaul: Having worked with organizations like KVIC, Directorate of Textiles and a major Indian ethnic brand for creating handcrafted products Rameshwari Kaul co-founded Cotton Rack to address the gap of minimalist designs in handcrafted textiles and has been the brawn behind product development & textile value chain design.
Rana, Anurag,
With over 25 years of experience in skill training and product development in the rural sector and among the marginalized sections of society, I set up Mon Ami foundation, an independent, not-for-profit Trust, registered in India, in 2015. We work closely with recipient communities across rural and urban India with support from corporates, domain experts, and service providers to ensure equal participation from all stakeholders for a sustainable future! Our projects are focused on sustainable livelihoods. I firmly believe in an integrated approach to product development, skills training, market access and eco-effective processes. The possibility of projects that will positively impact society is endless and the needs of these people are real. My recent projects involve training migrant women in the rural urban pockets around Delhi - NCR region; and in and around Terai regions in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to develop products from various wild grasses that are found in the region. All the projects are design led and the focus is to build a sustainable eco system towards market led product development. Moonj Grass development project in USN Dist. Uttarakhand involved working closely with the Tharu community women artisans, introducing them to modern designs and forms through multiple rounds of product development. They were given extensive market exposure with respect to modern designs, new colour palette and technical processes along with a comprehensive session on costing, market outreach, utility and product display. Another Moonj craft development project in Sitapur district, Uttar Pradesh was done to provide the women artisans with much-needed design intervention, scaling-up and market linkages. The artisans were taught the importance of quality and production-oriented work where replication of designs was explained and implemented over several months. With the intent to empower these women artisans and provide a structure that supports them economically, the Foundation creates a meaningful impact on their livelihood wherein they can continue practicing their traditional craft in a sustainable manner. Anurag Rana (M.DES) National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.
With over 25 years of experience in skill training and product development in the rural sector and among the marginalized sections of society, I set up Mon Ami foundation, an independent, not-for-profit Trust, registered in India, in 2015. We work closely with recipient communities across rural and urban India with support from corporates, domain experts, and service providers to ensure equal participation from all stakeholders for a sustainable future! Our projects are focused on sustainable livelihoods. I firmly believe in an integrated approach to product development, skills training, market access and eco-effective processes. The possibility of projects that will positively impact society is endless and the needs of these people are real. My recent projects involve training migrant women in the rural urban pockets around Delhi - NCR region; and in and around Terai regions in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to develop products from various wild grasses that are found in the region. All the projects are design led and the focus is to build a sustainable eco system towards market led product development. Moonj Grass development project in USN Dist. Uttarakhand involved working closely with the Tharu community women artisans, introducing them to modern designs and forms through multiple rounds of product development. They were given extensive market exposure with respect to modern designs, new colour palette and technical processes along with a comprehensive session on costing, market outreach, utility and product display. Another Moonj craft development project in Sitapur district, Uttar Pradesh was done to provide the women artisans with much-needed design intervention, scaling-up and market linkages. The artisans were taught the importance of quality and production-oriented work where replication of designs was explained and implemented over several months. With the intent to empower these women artisans and provide a structure that supports them economically, the Foundation creates a meaningful impact on their livelihood wherein they can continue practicing their traditional craft in a sustainable manner. Anurag Rana (M.DES) National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.
Ranjan, M P,
Late MP Ranjan joined NID as a design student in 1969 in the PG programme in Furniture Design. As a member of the faculty at NID since 1976, MP Ranjan was responsible for creating and conducting numerous courses dealing with Design Theory and Methodology, Product and Furniture Design and numerous domains of Digital Design. He conducted research in many areas of Design Pedagogy, Industrial and Craft Design and on the role of design policy in various sectors of the Indian economy. He was on the NID Governing Council occupying the faculty representative seat on the Council. As a professional designer and design strategist he handled many design projects for industry, government and international agencies in areas of product design, interior design, exhibition design, craft design and design policy. He was an advisor to many State and Central Government Ministries in formulating strategies for the future use of bamboo and design for development. He helped redefine the Bamboo and Cane Development Institute, Agartala and set up the programmes to establish the new format.
Late MP Ranjan joined NID as a design student in 1969 in the PG programme in Furniture Design. As a member of the faculty at NID since 1976, MP Ranjan was responsible for creating and conducting numerous courses dealing with Design Theory and Methodology, Product and Furniture Design and numerous domains of Digital Design. He conducted research in many areas of Design Pedagogy, Industrial and Craft Design and on the role of design policy in various sectors of the Indian economy. He was on the NID Governing Council occupying the faculty representative seat on the Council. As a professional designer and design strategist he handled many design projects for industry, government and international agencies in areas of product design, interior design, exhibition design, craft design and design policy. He was an advisor to many State and Central Government Ministries in formulating strategies for the future use of bamboo and design for development. He helped redefine the Bamboo and Cane Development Institute, Agartala and set up the programmes to establish the new format.
Rao, Geetha,
Geetha Rao is Honorary Secretary of the Crafts Council of Karnataka and the head of Arts Umbrella an organization that provides professional management and consulting services in the arts and cultural sectors. . She writes regularly on craft related subjects for the Deccan Herald and other publications and has done the research and text for the Crafts Map of Karnataka, part of the Dastakari Haat Samiti series. Geetha Rao works on the revival and promotion of the crafts of Karnataka - Mysore Chada Ganjifa, Bhuta Masks, Kinhal Woodcraft and others. She conceived and curated the exhibition "Pakshi - Birds in Crafts of South India" in collaboration with India's leading jeweler, Ganjam and organized "Kamala - Festival of Indian Crafts" organized by the Crafts Council of India.
Geetha Rao is Honorary Secretary of the Crafts Council of Karnataka and the head of Arts Umbrella an organization that provides professional management and consulting services in the arts and cultural sectors. . She writes regularly on craft related subjects for the Deccan Herald and other publications and has done the research and text for the Crafts Map of Karnataka, part of the Dastakari Haat Samiti series. Geetha Rao works on the revival and promotion of the crafts of Karnataka - Mysore Chada Ganjifa, Bhuta Masks, Kinhal Woodcraft and others. She conceived and curated the exhibition "Pakshi - Birds in Crafts of South India" in collaboration with India's leading jeweler, Ganjam and organized "Kamala - Festival of Indian Crafts" organized by the Crafts Council of India.
Ratnakar, Pooja,
Pooja Ratnakar is an economics graduate who then went on to study design at NIFT, N. Delhi. She and her sister Payal Nath have been active in the craft clusters of Orissa and West Bengal, through their NGO Kadam and their marketing platform Art Bunker. Their efforts have been to connect traditional village and tribal crafts to everyday use in urban homes and offices. Their brand ‘Potli’ creates products that educate children on Indian art and craft traditions. Pooja writes for various magazines about her travel and experiences with people, places and art/craft.
Pooja Ratnakar is an economics graduate who then went on to study design at NIFT, N. Delhi. She and her sister Payal Nath have been active in the craft clusters of Orissa and West Bengal, through their NGO Kadam and their marketing platform Art Bunker. Their efforts have been to connect traditional village and tribal crafts to everyday use in urban homes and offices. Their brand ‘Potli’ creates products that educate children on Indian art and craft traditions. Pooja writes for various magazines about her travel and experiences with people, places and art/craft.
Ravi, Sumana,
Sumana Ravi graduated in Photojournalism from Light & Life Academy, Ooty. An ex- Management Consultant, she has worked on several projects to document the diverse facets of Indian culture covering events, people and places. For her, photography is both a passion and a mechanism for documenting stories of her profession.
Sumana Ravi graduated in Photojournalism from Light & Life Academy, Ooty. An ex- Management Consultant, she has worked on several projects to document the diverse facets of Indian culture covering events, people and places. For her, photography is both a passion and a mechanism for documenting stories of her profession.
Rawat, Bhawana,
Bhawana Rawat after completing her Master’s in Clothing and Textile from Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, and Uttaranchal, Bhawana is working as an Assistant Professor in the Knitwear Design Department, National Institute Fashion Technology, Mumbai.
Bhawana Rawat after completing her Master’s in Clothing and Textile from Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, and Uttaranchal, Bhawana is working as an Assistant Professor in the Knitwear Design Department, National Institute Fashion Technology, Mumbai.
Rawat, Shivaa,
Shivaa Rawat is working as a Research Associate on the UNESCO led Indian Heritage Cities Network (IHCN) program. Prior to this, she had assisted in the preparation of the second issue of the Power of Creativity Magazine, which focused on the Parsi community. She holds a Masters in Modern Indian History and a PG Diploma in Conflict Transformation in Peace Building from the University of Delhi.
Shivaa Rawat is working as a Research Associate on the UNESCO led Indian Heritage Cities Network (IHCN) program. Prior to this, she had assisted in the preparation of the second issue of the Power of Creativity Magazine, which focused on the Parsi community. She holds a Masters in Modern Indian History and a PG Diploma in Conflict Transformation in Peace Building from the University of Delhi.
Report by British Council Crafting Futures Argentina, Craft Revival Trust, India and REDIT, Argentina,
Authors: Rachel Kelly, Sol Marinucci, Ritu Sethi, Valeria Zamparolo, María Lombana - FAU - UNT, Alejandra Mizrahi - FAU - UNT, Florencia Elena Antonini - IDI - UNNOBA, Beatriz Martínez - FAUD - UNMdP, Patricia Pieragostini FADU - UNL, Moriana Abraham - FAUD - UNC, Mariela Favero - FAUD - UNMdP, Maria Blanca Iturralde - FAyD - UNaM, Maria Alejandra Moreno FAUD UNSJ.
Authors: Rachel Kelly, Sol Marinucci, Ritu Sethi, Valeria Zamparolo, María Lombana - FAU - UNT, Alejandra Mizrahi - FAU - UNT, Florencia Elena Antonini - IDI - UNNOBA, Beatriz Martínez - FAUD - UNMdP, Patricia Pieragostini FADU - UNL, Moriana Abraham - FAUD - UNC, Mariela Favero - FAUD - UNMdP, Maria Blanca Iturralde - FAyD - UNaM, Maria Alejandra Moreno FAUD UNSJ.
Rothstein, Scott,
Scott Rothstein is an artist who writes primarily about self-taught art and artists informed by traditional culture. His own work can been seen in several American museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Rothstein has lived in Philadelphia, New York City, Bangkok, New Delhi, and Tokyo. He is currently based in New Mexico.
Scott Rothstein is an artist who writes primarily about self-taught art and artists informed by traditional culture. His own work can been seen in several American museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Rothstein has lived in Philadelphia, New York City, Bangkok, New Delhi, and Tokyo. He is currently based in New Mexico.
Roy, Purabi,
Purabi Roy, a retired teacher works in the service and promotion of crafts and craftspeople. She is an Executive Board Member of Crafts Council of West Bengal (CCWB) since 2007 and the Coordinator for West Bengal of
EtoS (Education to Sustain) – a program of education of children of Artisans of the Crafts Council of India,