Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday graced the Pashmina Artisan Awards 2026 in Srinagar, organised by the Pashmeena Entrepreneurs Makers and Artisans (PEMA) Foundation. He congratulated the winners and the Foundation, calling the ceremony a celebration of Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural prosperity. The awards, he said, honour not just individuals but an artistic civilisation that has captivated the world for generations.
The Lieutenant Governor invoked Bhagwan Vishwakarma, the embodiment of craftsmanship, and said India has always treated artisanship as sacred knowledge. He paid special tribute to women artisans for their role at every stage of production, from refining raw fibre to intricate embroidery. “Women artisans are not merely participants in this tradition but they are its silent creators, its custodians and its heartbeat,” he said. The true prosperity of a society, he added, is reflected in the artistry of its weavers and craftswomen, and every Pashmina shawl, Kani weave and Sozni embroidery is a living heritage shaped by patience and devotion.
Recalling the earlier editions in 2023 and 2025 as rays of hope for the community, he said this year’s awards mark a historic milestone because they are dedicated especially to women artisans, whose work has given Kashmir’s Pashmina its global prestige.
Sinha assured artisans of the Government of India’s commitment in four areas. The first is fair remuneration and protection of Geographical Indication (GI) tags. The second is access to global markets through e-commerce, exhibitions and digital platforms. The third is skill development and welfare, including healthcare, social security and modern design training. The fourth is financial inclusion through schemes such as MUDRA, the Credit Card Scheme and Karkhandar training initiatives.
He noted that the handloom and handicrafts sector provides economic security to 460,000 artisans and their families in the Union Territory, that 18 crafts have received GI tags, and that a QR-based system has been developed to verify authenticity. He urged artisans to embrace modern opportunities while preserving traditional excellence, and said the Union Territory administration and the PEMA Foundation will work together to strengthen the sector.
“Whenever a person anywhere in the world carries an original Pashmina product from Jammu Kashmir on their shoulders, they carry with them a part of India’s culture and history,” he said.
Vikramjit Singh, Commissioner Secretary of the Industries and Commerce Department, Dr Hina Shafi Bhat, former Chairperson of the J&K Khadi Village Industries Board, Masrat-ul-Islam, Director of Handloom and Handicrafts Kashmir, and Tariq Dar, President of the PEMA Foundation, attended along with officials and many artisans.
