Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Himachal Pradesh State Handicrafts & Handloom Corporation Limited (HPSHHCL), to bring the State’s local artisans, weavers, handicraft, and handloom makers into the e-commerce fold.
The partnership comes on the eve of National Handloom’s Day observed on August 7, to celebrate and honor India’s rich community of handloom weavers.
The MoU between both parties was signed through a ceremony in the presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister, Jai Ram Thakur and Bikram Thakur, Minister of Industries, Transport, Labor and Employment, Himachal Pradesh.
Under the Flipkart Samarth program, the partnership will enable Himachal Pradesh’s master craftsmen, weavers, and artisans to showcase their hallmark products and provide them with market access training and support. Himachal Pradesh is known for its traditional crafts work such as Kullu/Kinnauri shawl weaving, carpet weaving, Chamba and suni embroidery, thanka paintings, wood carving, metal & stone crafts amongst many others.
Kumad Singh, IAS, Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh State Handicrafts & Handloom Corporation Limited (HPSHHCL) said, “Himachal Pradesh is beaming with rich and diverse handlooms and handicrafts, spread across small pockets within the State. It has been our constant endeavor to revive these old traditional crafts and provide livelihood opportunities to the communities that manufacture and produce them.
These craftsmen and weavers are not just showcasing the aesthetic genius in their work, but also bring forth technical competence - which has been passed on from generations. Through this partnership, we are excited about the benefits that e-commerce will bring to these communities in catering to a pan-India customer base.”
Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group said: “As a homegrown e-commerce company, we are proud to be able to give our country’s skilled local artisans, handloom weavers, and craftsmen a pan-India platform where they can showcase their unique products.
Flipkart Samarth seeks to break entry barriers for these under-served communities and will extend incubation support and benefits in the form of seamless onboarding, cataloging, marketing, account management, business insights, and warehousing support. This will create avenues to increase business and trade inclusion opportunities for these very important segments of society and give a boost to Indian art & heritage.”
The Flipkart Samarth program was launched in 2019 to build a sustainable and inclusive platform for under-served, domestic communities and businesses to empower them with greater opportunities and better livelihood. Flipkart Samarth is now able to support the livelihood of over 7,50,000 artisans, weavers, and craftsmen across India and is working towards bringing more such sellers to the platform.
Flipkart also has a partnership with Govt. of India's DAY-NULM program where the company is collaborating with the ministry to establish the Flipkart Samarth program in 22 states, including the clusters of self-help groups of Himachal Pradesh.
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