The story of Khushali Artisan Handicraft Producer Company Limited

Our Story

Bhopal, the city of lakes, holds a unique identity around the country for its ancient & traditional zari art. Thousands of women artisans of the city have been making their livelihood through the years of zari work. But, due to the lack of arrangements, they never awarded with a fair price and respect for their hard work.

During year2014-2015, Sathiya Welfare Society started working with these artisans with the goal of increasing their income and ensuring their livelihood. A baseline survey of over one thousand women artisans was conducted by Sathiya and linked them to the Ambedkar Handicrafts Development Scheme of DC Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles, GoI. It was not an easy task to bring women artisans out of the family restrictions and establish them in the social life. Despite this, they were connected with banking facilities, after which they started saving by forming self-help groups and learned to cooperate with each other with their savings. There was also a big problem with this that most of the women were illiterate, but the organization took a step further and tried to educate women through IGNOU with the help of the Office of Development Commissioner Handicrafts. These women artisans were trained on various issues like- health rights, RTE, informed about state’s responsibility, social benefits and entitlements and processes to avail these benefits, etc.

So, the Embroidery, Zardozi and Stitching cluster at Karond (Bhopal) was firstly conceptualized by Sathiya Welfare Society way back in 2014-15. Then, in 2016 O/o Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, GOI identified this cluster to develop as the model cluster. Under the various initiatives and support of schemes of DC (Handicrafts), 1400 artisans were provided with the artisan identity cards known as PEHCHAN Card. PEHCHAN is not only an identity of a traditional artisan, but it also gives them access to various govt schemes. Various interventions related to Capacity building, Skill building, Design development and Market development have been made in last few years.

As a result of long and sustained efforts of Sathiya Welfare Society and under the guidance of DC (H), a legal entity KHUSHALI ARTISAN HANDICRAFT PRODUCER COMPANY LIMITED was formed in February 2020 where artisans are involved as directors and shareholders of the company. Assistant Director (Handicrafts) Bhopal is in the role of Mentor with zero shareholding in the company.

Artisans associated with the company are mostly from the areas affected due to Gas tragedy happened in Bhopal. More than 90% of the artisans are from the Gas victim families and are fighting socially, physically, and economically for more than 36 years now. Support to these artisans’ families to come over from these difficulties in a big way.

Khushali has been taking steps for the artisans and their overall growth with the handholding support of Sathiya Welfare Society. Directors of Khushali decided to seek support under various schemes and programs of government and non-government agencies. Khushali Artisan Handicraft Producer Company which has immense potential and preparedness to become a statement of model cluster, is ready to take forward its work on promoting handicrafts, socio-economic development of artisans and marketing linkages.