CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday inaugurated the Mega Handicrafts Exhibition-cum-Conference, organised by the Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation, at the Kalaivanar Arangam in the city. The event, running from February 5 to 8, aims to showcase the Tamil Nadu’s rich handicraft traditions on a global platform.
The CM also presented the ‘Living Craft Treasure’ award to 10 senior artisans aged above 65 and the Poompuhar state award to another 10 outstanding craftsmen and craftswomen for their significant contribution to the handicrafts sector during 2025-26.
The exhibition features a wide range of traditional art forms, including Thanjavur paintings, terracotta works, pottery, kalamkari, bamboo crafts, fibre products, Toda embroidery, banana fibre products, Kurumba paintings, wood and stone sculptures, among others. The event also includes seminars regarding export opportunities, international marketing and awareness of GI tagging.
The ‘Living Craft Treasure’ award, instituted by the state government to honour lifelong contributions to handicrafts, carries a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, an eight-gram gold medal, copper plaque and a certificate. The Poompuhar state sward includes a cash prize of Rs 50,000, a four-gram gold medal, copper plaque and a certificate.
Ministers K N Nehru, E V Velu, T M Anbarasan, M P Saminathan, Ma Subramanian and P K Sekar Babu, GCC Mayor R Priya, legislators, senior officials and representatives of local bodies also took part.