In a bid to showcase the tribal art and heritage of Odisha, the Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation of Odisha Ltd (TDCCOL) on Wednesday opened an outlet, Tribal World, in the Biju Patnaik Airport here.
The outlet was inaugurated by ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Minister Lal Bihari Himirika.
Tourists can purchase tribal handicraft and handloom products from Tribal World, an initiative of TDCCOL.
At present, the TDCCOL has decided to showcase and sell dying tribal art forms including handicrafts of Gond tribe and paintings of Saura and Juang tribes. Each of these items will be provided with write-ups indicating significance of the handicraft and the tribal community behind it.
Managing Director of TDCCOL Sushant Nanda said the products will be procured directly from the tribal artisans and sold here under the brand name of ‘Tribes Odisha’. “Our primary aim is to promote products made by tribals and provide them market linkage for sustenance and better livelihood,” he said.
Nanda added that as there is a huge demand of authentic Odisha tribal products among tourists, airport will be the best gateway to promote these products.
Apart from the Bhubaneswar airport, TDCCOL has decided to open Tribal World outlets at New Delhi and Kolkata airports on public-private partnership (PPP) mode in this financial year.
“Besides, eight more outlets will be opened at different places in the State within this year. One of them is already nearing completion at Puri,” Nanda said adding that TDCCOL is in talks with the Director of Biju Patnaik Airport to include write-ups about tribal art of Odisha in the flight magazines.
At present, there are Tribal World showrooms at Unit-VIII in Bhubaneswar, Koraput and Rourkela. The products are also e-marketed through TDCCOL website.
Besides Tribal World, airport has outlet of Textiles & Handloom Department’s Utkalika, the sales outlet of Odisha State Cooperative Handicrafts Corporation.