The nine-day Shilp Samagam Mela 2026 has concluded at Mysuru's Dasara Exhibition Grounds in Karnataka. Organised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the fair attracted thousands of visitors.
The exhibition offered a sales and marketing venue for handicraft and handloom producers from Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes and Safai Karamchari communities. Artisans supported by NSFDC, NBCFDC and NSKFDC, three national corporations associated with the ministry, were among the participants.
Rajnish Banker, a deputy general manager at NBCFDC, said the initiative aims to connect craftspeople with new customers, support traditional skills and improve sustainable earning opportunities.
The ministry has held Shilp Samagam fairs since 2022. According to officials, 975 such events have so far supported 13 artisans.
The Mysuru mela was the first edition organised in financial year 2026–27.
A total of 83 stalls were arranged, with 80 allocated to artisans. Participants included 37 women craftworkers. Food outlets serving regional dishes were also available.
Artisans from 12 states and union territories took part. They represented Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
Products included handloom textiles, Kanjivaram sarees, handcrafted bags, wooden toys, terracotta, leather accessories, block-printed fabrics, jewellery, spices, pickles, honey, incense and home textiles.
The mela allowed participants to show and sell their products directly, widening their customer networks while introducing visitors to distinctive regional crafts.
Organisers also used the event to explain financial and development schemes offered by the ministry and its three corporations. Eligible artisans were given information about assistance and business opportunities.
The BHARAT TULIP programme is intended to extend the reach of handmade products through digital marketplaces in India and abroad. Items marketed under the BHARAT TULIP identity are intended to gain wider visibility and support online sales.
Participating artisans receive support that includes free stall space and specified travel, transport, meals and daily allowances. This allows them to exhibit goods without paying stall rent and some other event-related costs themselves.
During his visit, Minister of State Ramdas Athawale highlighted the government's efforts to increase economic and social opportunities for disadvantaged groups.
He inspected craft, textile, food and decorative-product stalls, including traditional wooden toys, block-printed items and regional delicacies.
Ministry Secretary Sudhansh Pant also visited the exhibition.
At the exhibition venue, Pant spoke with stall managers and visitors and inspected participating sellers' products.
Pant was in Mysuru on a two-day official trip, which also included a review of ministry programmes with Karnataka's social welfare department.
He described artisan fairs as one means of improving market access and supporting entrepreneurship among communities that face financial barriers.
Visitors could explore traditional Indian crafts and make purchases directly from the people who produced them.
During financial year 2026–27, further Shilp Samagam events are planned for Guwahati, Delhi Haat in New Delhi, Jodhpur and Lucknow.
The ministry and its corporations also expect to participate in the India International Trade Fair 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from November 14 to 27, 2026, as well as the Surajkund Mela in February 2027.
Officials said Shilp Samagam and BHARAT TULIP would continue working to connect artisans with consumers while promoting traditional Indian skills and livelihoods.