Madhya Pradesh’s Guna witnessed a cultural extravaganza with the inauguration of Handicraft Exhibition 2026, a testament to ‘Vocal for Local’s’ transformative power. Collector Kishor Kumar Kanyal spearheaded the February 9, 8:30 PM launch at Pratap Hostel main road, with officials like Abhishek Dubey and Gwalior handicrafts director in attendance.
Backed by national and state bodies including Textiles Ministry Delhi, the event parades 50 stalls of pan-Indian crafts: jute bags, zari embroidery, bamboo, Kalamkari, Bihar arts, Jaipur pendants, Agra-Delhi jewels, Dehradun Kushiya, Bengaluru art, Rajasthani pottery, UP Talaab, MP durries-bed sheets, beads, torans, leather, date crafts, Burhanpur toys, plus specialties from Banaras, Jodhpur, Nagpur, Gujarat, Bengal.
Kanyal, impressed by presentations, ordered prominent artisan-state signage and stressed the dual benefit of markets for makers and cultural exposure for buyers. His media call: ’50 stalls, diverse talents – Guna, flock here to celebrate and shop!’
Exhibitors shared inspiring journeys. Monu Gujarati’s pre-post platform contrast; Jalaluddin’s Banarasi direct-to-consumer shift crediting PM Modi’s efforts; Neeraj Saini’s Jaipur income surge; Shakun Thakur’s Nagpur scale-up to lakhs with loan aid; Bappa and Sevasi’s Bengal ease from village sales to expo success.
Residents raved: Mahendra Nayak for craft reach, Gayatri Sharma for jobs-quality duo, Biplab Jain for national work ethos. Mukesh Jain promoted the ongoing fair till 16th, 2-10 PM, as a must for art lovers backing tradition-economy fusion.
This expo underscores policy efficacy, linking grassroots talent to broader markets and heralding a renaissance for Indian handicrafts on world stages.