The Shilpa – Sri Lanka, the Craft Exhibition and Trade Fair organized by the National Crafts Council (NCC) in collaboration with the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) of India and Sri Lankan High Commission in India was held from recently at the International Marketing Village for Crafts in New Delhi, India.

Minister of Textile India, Shri Shankersinh Vaghela, Rural Industries and Self-Employment Minister S.B.Navinna and NCC Chairman Buddhi Keerithesena were the Chief guests at the exhibition and trade fair.

The Indian Textiles Minister Vaghela inaugurating the exhibition and trade fair said that it was a great pleasure of the Indian Government that Sri Lanka had chosen India to showcase hereditary Sri Lankan handicrafts in India through Shilpa Sri Lanka exhibition and trade fair and Indian handicrafts and Sri Lankan handicrafts were similar in nature. History had recorded that there had been a great influence from India on the arts and crafts of Sri Lanka.

He said that during the Emperor Ashoka’s regime artisans, sculptors and handicrafts artistes from different crafts communities in India had visited Sri Lanka with Nun Sangamittha, daughter of Emperor Ashoka. The Indian Government would be glad to provide assistance required for the development of Sri Lankan handicrafts industry.

Rural Industries and Self-Employment Promotion Minister S.B.Navinna said that the Sri Lankan Government was extremely grateful to the Indian Government and to the Management Committee of the Dilli Haat for giving an opportunity to Sri Lankan artisants and handicrafts artistes to exhibit and sell their products in India. He thanked the Council of Handicrafts Development Corporation for sponsoring six master artisans of Sri Lanka who worked in India with 12 Indian master artisans.

Minister Navinna added that the Shilpa Sri Lanka Exhibition and Trade Fair was a unique opportunity for artisans and handicrafts artistes to share their skills and techniques in enhancing the quality of different crafts and exhibitions of this nature would definitely strengthen relations between the two countries in handicrafts field.

National Handicrafts Council Chairman Buddha Keeritisena said that the Shilpa Sri Lanka was of paramount importance to the Sri Lankan handicrafts industry because the efforts exerted by Sri Lankan handicrafts artistes had paid good dividends. Their endeavours would further consolidate the mutual gains of artisan communities in both countries.