Visitors check out handicraft items at a fair. File picture

Jamshedpur, Feb. 26: Jamshedpur is not the only steel city where Tata Steel’s initiatives are visible.

A small step by the steel major in Bokaro has changed the ways of local artisans living there for decades.

Crafts bazaar in west Bokaro — a unique one-stop destination for tribal handicraft items — set up in 2007 is gradually proving to be a boon for local craftsmen looking to sell their products.

Established to bring rural tribal handicraft makers to the mainstream market, the crafts bazaar project has gone on to become one of the most successful projects launched by Tata Steel as part of its corporate social responsibilities.

“Village India is rich in traditional handicraft. However, over a period of time it has dwindled due to neglect, invasion of industrial products and lack of skill development and marketing facilities. So, we decided to come up with this crafts bazaar which could provide local artisans a much-needed platform,” said the company spokesperson.

Set up in association with the state government under the Ambedkar Hast Shilpa Vikas Yojana, the appeal of these handicrafts lie in their appeal for household utility and rustic beauty and are popular picks as items of interior decoration, antiques and curios.

“Tata Steel Rural Development Society, West Bokaro, joined hands with the government with the vision of energising village handicraft to boost rural economy and to save artisans from languishing,” said officials.

To begin with, the company also conducted a survey in Bokaro to identify the village and artisans and worked out a revival plan.

“There were four areas in which we required to make an improvement — betterment of designs, skill upgrade and training, providing tools and sound marketing,” said a company spokesperson.

Some of the technical training workshops conducted for artisans in the area included design and technical development workshops for terracotta, bamboo and dokra and skill-upgrade training.

The artisans learnt how to develop new designs in traditional craft, and got conceptual clarity training based on modern technology and the utility of product diversification to meet choice and demand of the present market. Almost 60 craftsmen have so far been trained and benefited from the workshops spread over six months.

Conducted by one Debraj Sahoo from Calcutta, over 70 prototypes in terracotta alone were developed by artisans. For bamboo products, a 15-day workshop at Bongahara village was organised where 30 artisans were trained. Thereafter, 15 sets of prototypes were developed. For training in dokra art, a 15-day workshop was organised at Pundi village for 30 artisans.

“Tata Steel enables these artisans to produce qualitative and quantitative items through application of new technology. Improvement in the quality of products and curios result in more sales, which directly impacts the lives of these artisans as it increases their income,” said officials.

Not only did Tata Steel make all efforts to train and develop the artisans, but also organised fairs and exhibitions where these creative items were put on display and sale.

Two exhibitions were held in Raipur to showcase the creativity of these people. The sale of these items resulted in an income of almost Rs 3.75 lakh.

“Through such training, the artists become more conscious and aware of the utility of modern technology. That eventually results in better craft items,” said Satish Pillai, the chief of corporate sustainability services, Tata Steel.

Not only that, artisans selling their products here have made a profit of Rs 3.95 lakh in the first six months.

“The crafts bazaar concept has undoubtedly proved to be a big success story and would help us envisage similar projects in the future across the region,” added Pillai.

Asked whether a similar project is likely to be launched in East Singhbhum, Pillai said: “At present, we do not have any plans, but these artistes the same would come to the steel city in Jamshedpur in March during the Gramshree Mela to tell the success story etched by them in a record period of time.”