Vedanta Lanjigarh-supported Dhokra artisans showcase their craft at national exhibition

Lanjigarh, 26^th July, 2023: Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh, India’s premier producer of metallurgical grade alumina, recently supported the skilled Dhokra artisans of Kankeri village, Lanjigarh in participating in a national level exhibition organised by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) at Srinagar and Gulmarg. The conference was organized by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India from 7^th-11^th July 2023. The exhibition saw participation from various tribal communities across India, with Dhokra art being the sole artform representing Odisha at the exhibition.

TRIFED is a national co-operative body working towards supporting the market development of Minor Forest Products and Tribal Art & Craft. The national exhibition witnessed over a thousand visitors, including eminent personalities such as Mr. Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, Jammu and Kashmir, and Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, IAS, Secretary Tribal Affairs Department. It helped the artisans, who actively contribute to the rich cultural heritage of Odisha, garner significant sales and also build greater awareness of the heritage of Dhokra art, a very ancient and treasured art form.

The Vedanta Art and Culture initiative focuses on preserving and promoting the rich cultural artforms of Odisha, particularly Dhokra sculptures and Saura paintings. Through this program, the company is working with local artisans to build their skills, providing seed capital for procuring raw materials, and creating additional avenues for creating market linkage opportunities. This effort is helping enhance the income levels for the artisans, in addition to mitigating the need for them to abandon these traditional skills or move to distant places in search of a sustainable livelihood.

Highlighting the significance of the project, Mr GG Pal, Dy. CEO – Alumina Business, Vedanta Limited, said, “Vedanta Lanjigarh believes in conserving, promoting, and celebrating artforms that underscore the rich culture of Odisha. Through this initiative, we provide support to local artisans by ensuring sustainable sources of income for their sustenance. Representing Odisha on a forum like TRIFED speaks volumes about the outreach and impact of the project and highlights how this ancient art form is gaining renewed popularity across the nation. We remain committed to supporting and nurturing this beautiful embodiment of our nation’s vibrance.”

Praising Vedanta’s efforts, Mr. Rahul Kumar, Regional Director Odisha, TRIFED, said, “I am happy to see organizations like Vedanta working so closely towards preserving the tribal cultures and art forms and helping the local artisans to get a platform to sell their goods. The Dhokra art is a magnificent piece of artwork which dates to thousands of years in our Indian culture. I would like that Vedanta continues their efforts towards preserving local cultures and come up with more such development initiatives.”

Dhokra, a magnificent metalworking artform based on the lost wax technique, has its origins dating back to the Indus Valley Civilization, endowing it with a history of nearly 5000 years. Project Dhokra, a community development initiative of Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh was started in 2018 to help preserve and promote this traditional artform. It provides training and financial support to artisans for producing contemporary designs through modern techniques, keeping in mind the evolving requirements of society. The company has recently launched an exclusive online gallery to showcase products created as part of this initiative, accessible on this link: https://vedantaaluminium.com/sustainability/social-impact/promoting-art-culture/. It is also enabling the participation of the artisans in various exhibitions and public events, primarily with the aim of widening the reach of their products across national as well as international audiences.