KARIMNAGAR: While everyone wants to have a glimpse or an invite to the mega Ambani wedding scheduled to be held on July 12, silver filigree articles from Karimnagar are set to be part of the elite club that is likely to garner global attention.
This intricate craft, renowned globally for its exquisite silver thread work, has seen renewed interest recently. Such is the craze that silver filigree articles were handed out during the G20 summit in September 2023.
Speaking to TNIE, Silver Filigree of Karimnagar Handicrafts Welfare Society (SIFKA) general secretary G Ashok says that Nita Ambani, wife of business magnate Mukesh Ambani, placed orders for 400 items — peacock figurine, jewellery box, plates and others — for her son Anant’s wedding to Radhika Merchant.
Pitching to Nita Ambani
Sources say these articles will be gifted to high-profile guests who will be attending the star-studded affair in Mumbai. It is learnt that the representatives of a handicraft organisation run by Nita reached out to SIFKA, who then pitched their items to the chairperson of the Reliance Foundation.
Meanwhile, Ashok says that they have been supplying silver filigree items for different occasions for the Ambani family for the last one-and-a-half years. “We have been giving such items to Reliance Retail’s ‘Swadesh’ store since November 2023,” he added.
Supporting 150 families
Besides the Ambani wedding, there has been a surge in orders for silver filigree items from across the country. Ashok mentions that SIFKA has engaged skilled artisans, both men and women, to meet this demand. Globally recognised and a recipient of international awards, SIFKA has been pivotal in preserving this ancient handicraft, many say.
This resurgence is a boon for the 300 artisans currently engaged in crafting these items, supporting nearly 150 families in Karimnagar. The silver filigree craft received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2007, cementing its cultural and historical significance.