Somesh Singh: The force behind Craft Village, New Delhi

Somesh Singh, Co-Founder,Craft Village, in a candid conversation with Aradhana Thakur, Independent Researcher and Writer.

A graduate of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), and professor at NID, Ahmedabad, for a decade, Somesh Singh is the former Director of the Institute of Apparel Management (IAM). Somesh also holds the position of Senior Advisor at Co- Creando, Italy. He has many design patents to his credit – Paunch Proof, I-Shops, Fashion Clinics, and Folding Helmets. World media has covered his innovations, including TIME Magazine, New York Times, The Times (London), The Standard (China), The Times of India, Hindustan Times, USA Today, BBC, CNN, and AajTak.

• Aradhana: Your Instagram bio describes you as an innovator and a disruptor! Are these the qualities that led to the founding of the Craft  Village?
• Somesh: That's right! It was frankly a long-drawn dream of my better half, Iti Tyagi, to contribute towards the livelihood of millions of artisans and craftspeople. We were disappointed with how crafts were perceived as ‘poor objects’ in haats, melas and bazaars. We aimed to create a niche market to shift the perspective from ‘donation’ to an ‘investment’ product. It was like going against the wind and doing something disruptive that people within this sector may adopt or adhere to. Looking back, I realise that starting the Craft Village had been a disruptive journey. We have had to follow unconventional steps and methods to work in this sector, but we are glad we did it. It created a ripple effect in the whole industry, and today many of our ideas have been taken ahead by craft brands, entrepreneurs and companies.

• Aradhana: What, in your opinion, have been your most significant achievements since the inception of the Craft Village?           
• Somesh: The craft sector has been primarily unorganised. It has been a humongous task to change the image of this sector. Our key focus was to look at the gaps in the industry and work towards filling those gaps. A few of our most significant achievements have been when Iti was awarded the prestigious ‘Nari Shakti Puruskar’ - the highest civilian honour for women - by the President of India in 2019, BW Disrupt Women Entrepreneur 2019 and India Fashion Awards 2020. Another one of our achievements has been to initiate orientation programmes to open and regulate a channel of communication and exchange between the rural and urban crafts sectors. We have trained over 1,00,000 people so far. These programmes have helped to increase the appreciation for craft products and have also succeeded in fetching a fair price in the market. The programme has sensitised students of schools and colleges to indigenous products and created awareness of the crafts industry. While we were the pioneers of this programme when it first started in 2015, it is being followed by almost everyone in the craft sector today. Another successful initiative taken by us has been the declaration of October 15 as World Craft Day or International Craft Day. The International Craft Awards were launched in 2017 to honour masters, artists, designers, individuals, institutions, councils, organisations, and governments from around the globe for their brilliant contributions to the sustainable and comprehensive development of handicrafts. These awards have gained immense popularity over the past couple of years and have over 40 participating countries. Presently this award programme is known as the Academy Awards of Craft.

The India Craft Week has been very successful since its launch and is synonymous with the craft sector. Until recently, there was never a commercial platform in the crafts sector, so we started India Craft Week in 2018. We have since used this platform to change this sector’s image from a mere cottage industry to a thriving creative industry that brings business, prosperity and employment to the people of India. A shift in the axis from ‘Not for Profits’ to ‘for profits’ has undoubtedly changed the perspective.

• Aradhana: What are your thoughts on the significance of craft, heritage and culture?               
• Somesh: Heritage, crafts, and cultures are the soul and identity of any country. If we lose them, we lose the essence of a nation. But with the rapidly changing world and increasing use of technology, we have to present a multi-faceted outlook on how these components can help in management, technology, science and other streams of our life. Our current endeavours must balance the past with the future, the traditional with the modern. The only way to preserve heritage and culture is to retain knowledge and skills acquired over thousands of years and consciously bring back the conventional practices of our craftspeople and artisans. Their practices are priceless, and the secret recipes of community, sustainable practices, and crisis management are embedded in these practices. These practices could be a valuable resource for research and to gain insights for the present and future generations and eventually make the world a better place to live in.

• Aradhana: Do you think we as a country are doing enough to preserve our culture and heritage?     
• Somesh: We are trying our best to preserve our heritage and culture, but we can benefit from making more efforts. We must create awareness among people and educate them very early. Do you even think we have education streams that cater to such domain disciplines or knowledge? Our universities teach art programmes and courses focused on theory but not on the practical implementation of the acquired knowledge. I feel the proper educational framework is crucial for a deeper understanding of our heritage and culture. We also must stop looking at heritage and culture, as means of minting money through travel and tourism. We are not looking at the core problem that needs to be solved. Another obstacle lies on a more national level concerning the budget. There is no budget allocated to art and culture. The reason for this is the non-awareness of policymakers on this. They still think this sector is hobby-driven and has nothing to do with nation-building. We cannot build any sector unless we feel it is essential and requires the full attention of the government and its resources. Hence the beauty of rural India has been lost to the urban landscape. The urban landscape doesn’t reflect us as a nation. We hav senselessly aped west and left ‘Bharat’ out in the process

• Aradhana: Do you think traditional crafts can find their niche in modern interiors?     
• Somesh: Frankly, modern interiors are dull and, in most cases, do not reflect the personalities, culture and heritage of the individuals residing in them. Crafts can solve mental and health stresses and bring more character to a home, office and other public spaces. Unfortunately, who has that knowledge and know-how? The latest residential real estate sector trend is the demand for energy-efficient homes. We need to realise that there is a scientific approach to our crafts and their principles and that these principles can help us make a ‘sustainable home’. Our traditional crafts omit the use of gadgets that consume enormous energy and leave a massive carbon footprint. Materials like wood and clay have numerous health benefits. A considerable carbon footprint has led to ‘lifestyle diseases’ in a big way. Our spaces have no character, and the materials used in modern construction are starting to affect our quality of life. The concept of a healthy mind and body has been ravaged by modern interiors & architecture. I hope we can spend more time studying the best practices that our culture and tradition hold to address global pollution and climate change issues before it’s too late.

• Aradhana: What do you think would help create a deeper awareness and appreciation of the crafts amongst people?                
• Somesh: We must take steps to educate the people by holding public discussions, orientation programs, seminars, and conferences. We must also strive to include the study of heritage and culture as compulsory subjects in primary and secondary schools. Through tourism, textiles or handicrafts departments, the government can work on various policy and promotion aspects that capture the imagination of one and all, especially in the town and cities. Like Dubai’s recent success with the Expo 2020, we too can create a large-scale celebration of our crafts, culture and heritage. Global promotions across continents can link art, culture and heritage with experiential tourism. We can also invite the international community to visit our country and experience our culture and heritage in person. I believe this will bring an unprecedented change in attitude towards indigenous craft and cultural milieu.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
• Aradhana: What are your thoughts on national funding for art? 
• Somesh: As quoted earlier, national funding could be the backbone of this sector. Look at the European Union, and Japan-they have dedicated funding for creative sectors. Even during the pandemic, while an array of reliefs and concessions were announced worldwide, India did not remotely discuss this subject. Crafts and rural artistic traditions can also be a part of our domestic and international airports. The funding modes can be generated through Government grants, CSR funding and other endeavours, and by investing in the art and cultural hubs across the country. After all, what would life be without art and culture? To reflect on the pandemic, let us appreciate how art and culture were the backbone of the lockdown period and helped people distract themselves from the stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic. Yet we haven’t learnt a lesson. The time has come to increase our support for art and cultural activities at all levels in the country.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
• Aradhana: What are some grave challenges facing artisans and craftspeople?
• Somesh: The major challenge that artisans and craftspeople face is the absence of an ecosystem that supports their overall development and can help scale their activities and recognition. Today, it is neither seen as an industry nor as a social sector. Hence there is no government or private focus. Over time it has been seen as a labour-intensive and labour-oriented sector rather than a creative industry. As a result, this sector has lost 40% of the artisans to daily wage labour since 1990. It is essential to build a larger picture of the craft sector than to look at it as another rural activity. We have to look at large-scale production segments and homegrown manufacturing. We must take forward our country’s initiative of ‘Make in India’ (aatmnirbhar Bharat). Adequate policies need to be drafted to look at various challenges that can bring dignity to the life of the people working in this sector and get enough attraction from the investors as a ‘potential sector’ of investment. To su up, we need to address the following concerns on an urgent basis: preserve the crafts and heritage of India, avoid loss of rare skill sets, revive lost skills, provide employment to the families of the artisans and craftspeople, to help reduce migration from villages to cities, to give a fair price to the artisans and craftspeople engaged in this sector and to help create sustainable and ethical products.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
• Aradhana: Would you like to share details about your upcoming projects andinitiatives?
• Somesh: We are building initiative in two key directions; one is the front end, and the other is at the industry’s back end. The first is positioning India Craft Week as a platform for buyers and artisans to hold serious business. It needs to be built througha trade show in India, and by establishing a network of global consumers (especially B2B). In the past, such chapters like ‘India Craft Week Preview’ remarkably responded in London and other places. So, our focus is more global penetration and trade and involving more Global buyers, brands and retailers renewing their focus on sustainable & organic products through crafts of India, as people are looking for ethical ways of manufacturing and responsible consumption as future trends.

Another primary focus is building on 4P’s-product, pricing, presentation and packaging. With various state governments and other stakeholders bring in thousands of artisans to get insights into innovative products, correct pricing, production and packaging. This will help command better returns on investments and better net yields.

• Aradhana: Where do you see the Indian craft industry going in the future?
• Somesh: I see much potential for the crafts sector, especially in the wake of the pandemic and a demand for a sustainable future requiring a reduction in carbon footprint. India is expected to become a global leader by 2040, and the craft sector can play a significant role in that journey. The craft sector employs the second largest workforce in the country, with more than 45 million people directly and 250 million indirectly involved. Hence, we can capitalise on creating more employment revenues to help this sector grow by leaps and bounds.