Vidya Bharati Alumni pays homage to Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay on Her Birth Anniversary

Vidya Bharati Alumni pays homage to Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, a Writer, Social Reformer, Freedom Fighter, Politician, Promoter of Performance Art and the Torchbearer of Indian Crafts, on Her Birth Anniversary.

Most remembered for her contributions to the Indian independence movement and for the upliftment of socio-economic conditions of Indian women, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay was the driving force behind the renaissance of Indian handicrafts and handloom post-independence.

Many crafts threatened under the 200-year British rule would have disappeared forever and India’s craft heritage would have been lost, if Kamaladevi hadn’t championed its cause. Working at the grassroots level, traveling to a number of villages of India, she discovered the challenges faced by craftsmen and crafts. She made friends with craftspeople, involved them in Government sponsored training schemes, formed crafts communities, opened up markets for exports, and exhibitions, and focused on maintaining the ingenuity of Indian handicraft.

She helped establish institutions and systems to empower artisans and to sustain their crafts: The Cottage Industries Board (CIB), the Indian Cooperative Union (ICU), the All India Handicrafts & Handloom Board, the Cottage Industries Emporium, Regional Design Centres, new experiments through Marketing Clinics in different regions, the Crafts Council of India (CCI), the Crafts Museum, and the National and State Awards, among others.

In remembrance of Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay and as a support toward the nation, let us join the Vidya Bharati Alumni Network.