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NID to set up design cell in city

BHUBANESWAR: Ahmedabad-based National Institute of Design (NID) would set up a Design Cell in the City and would conduct a two-year course for the artisans and crafts persons of the State.

Sources in the Directorate of Handicrafts and Cottage Industries revealed that NID was approached to help the State Institute of Development of Arts and Crafts (SIDAC) in formulating a strategy to upgrade the skills of the artisans and craft persons of the State and to orient them towards the contemporary marketing trends. Accordingly, NID has mooted the Design Cell and course at SIDAC here.

In the initial phase of the project, an NID delegation toured several clusters in the State which are known for their craft traditions like the dhokra to study the problems encountered by the artisans. It was followed by a presentation before the government officials in March.

The study conducted by NID has stated that “while the craftsmanship is of a high order, it needs to be placed in a more contemporary setting. It needs better marketing and there can be some fine tuning of the products,” the sources elaborated.

The team observed that while skills were very well developed, the finishing of many products was not up to the standard. The NID delegation has identified this as an area of intervention. It has further pointed out that in many cases the raw materials used were not of good quality, an official informed. The delegation has also observed that many artisans and crafts persons were used to the designs that were devised long ago were hesitant to try new forms, it was learnt.

The two-year course would attempt to tune them to contemporary reality while making them aware of the need for exploring export avenues. The course, likely to be launched in August, would comprise four components that include entrepreneurship development. It is targeted at the youth in the age group of 18 to 25 years, the Directorate official stated.

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