IICD Craft Awards 2026
Genesis
IICD instituted the annual ‘Craft Awards’ in the year 2020, to commemorate the 25 year of its existence and in the memory of people who were the leaders to initiate craft & design development and education in India. This is to pay tribute to the stalwarts of the country who have done exemplary work in the craft sector and name the awards after them.
Craft Award Winners 2026
M.P. Ranjan Award is given to Ms. Pooja Ratnakar for Contribution in Craft Design Education
Co-founder of Potli – Bag of Wonders
Pooja Ratnakar is a cultural entrepreneur, designer, educator and heritage advocate with over 25 years of experience working at the intersection of crafts, culture, education and sustainable livelihoods. She is the Co-founder of Potli – Bag of Wonders, one of India’s most impactful models of heritage education, transforming India’s cultural heritage, living heritage, traditional arts, crafts and cultural knowledge into engaging learning experiences for children while creating sustainable opportunities for artisans.
For More Information Please visit www.potli.org
Kamladevi Chatopadhyay Award is given to Mauna Dhwani Foundation - Bindu Vinodhan for social impact in the craft sector
Founded in 2017, Mauna Dhwani Foundation is a Bengaluru-based organisation working to revive Odisha’s disappearing handloom traditions, particularly in Mayurbhanj. Through women-led initiatives, localized production, skill development and community leadership, it has impacted 850+ weavers across 92 villages through 19 centres, while advancing literacy, sustainable livelihoods and a stronger, community-centred textile ecosystem.
Kripal Singh Shekhawat Award is given to Ms. Kanika Sahijwani for innovation in craft design
Founder & Creative Director, Pusaaka Ventures
Kanika Sahijwani is working to revive Gujarat’s endangered Saurashtra toran beadwork by bringing it into contemporary design. Through Pusaaka Ventures, she has spent four years collaborating with 138 women artisans across the Saurashtra villages of Botad, Bhavnagar and Kutch, creating new opportunities for their craft, skills and livelihoods.
Suresh Neotia Award is given to Karan Singh for new generation crafts person
Double Layer Pottery
Karan is a talented young craftsman excelling in Ramgarh, Dist. Alwar, Rajasthan Double Layer Pottery. He has learnt the technique of fine cutwork on terracotta and the difficult and laborious process of double casting very thin products in terracotta. This proficiency makes him an expert in the area of miniature pottery as well.
Suresh Neotia Award is given to Kumari Suman for new generation crafts person
Hand-Knotted Rug Weaver
Kumari Suman, known as Bugali, is an emerging hand-knotted rug weaver from Aspura, Sikar, Rajasthan. Trained by her mother, she carries forward traditional weaving knowledge while developing her own creative voice. Her collaborative, intergenerational practice brings together memory, heritage and innovation, creating new possibilities within the craft.
Pupul Jayakar Award is given to The India Art Investment Company Private Limited (Haath Ka Bana) for Craft entrepreneurship
Haath Ka Bana is a leading social enterprise dedicated to preserving and promoting India’s rich handloom and handicraft heritage. With a mission to Preserve, Promote and Empower, it connects artisans with markets, creating sustainable livelihoods and opportunities. Working across 75+ crafts and 5,000 artisan families, it champions quality, authenticity and the continued flourishing of India’s diverse craft traditions.
Jury Members
Ms. Purnima Rai
Ms. Purnima Rai, a graduate of the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, has been deeply engaged with the crafts sector since joining the Delhi Crafts Council in 1986.
She has worked on exhibitions, design projects, documentation, and workshops, and curated Indian craft shows internationally. A former President of the Council, she continues to guide its initiatives, having also led its golden jubilee celebrations and helped establish Kamala, the Crafts Council of India’s outlet in New Delhi.
Ms. Meera Goradia
Meera Goradia is a graduate of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Her experience of working with artisan clusters spans 3 decades. She has co-founded Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan with Sushma Iyengar and Alka Jani.
She was the Director of Khamir, a premier organization in Kutch for the cultural and creative industries. Khamir was nurtured by her over ten years to develop innovative approaches to the artisan sector. Her experience ranges ground level artisan supply chain realities, building farm to fibre value chains, archiving cultural histories along with frontend integration. Since 2016, she has been consulting organizations and companies such as AIACA, RiseWorldwide, Jaypore, Center for Pastoralism, Ikai Asai etc. In 2020, she co-founded Creative Dignity with a group of other creative professionals, as a network to support the artisan sector through and post the pandemic. She is the Chair of Creative Dignity at present.
Mr. Nishit Sangomla
Nishit Sangomla is the Director of Somaiya Kala Vidya, a design and business school for traditional artisans, and Co-Founder of Navikarna Trust.
For the past decade, he has worked at the intersection of craft, culture, livelihoods, and the environment with artisan communities across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab. His work focuses on building sustainable, artisan-led enterprises and connecting India’s cultural heritage with contemporary markets and business practices. Nishit believes lasting change comes from within communities, while external actors, such as himself, can serve as catalysts. This belief shapes the vision of both Somaiya KalaVidya and Navikarna Trust.
Ms. Anuradha Singh
AVP – CSR, JCB India | Director, Nila House
Anuradha Singh is Associate Vice President – CSR at JCB India and Director of Nila House, Jaipur.
With over two decades of experience in cultural heritage, craft, design and social development, she has worked extensively to strengthen India’s craft ecosystem and artisan livelihoods. Previously, as Additional Director at Jawahar Kala Kendra, she developed landmark programmes including the first Indian Ceramics Triennale and New Traditions: Influences & Inspirations in Indian Textiles, 1947–2017. A founding team member of Jaipur Virasat Foundation, she has also contributed to the Jaipur Literature Festival and Jodhpur RIFF.Her career reflects a sustained commitment to building institutions, strengthening cultural ecosystems and using heritage, creativity and community-led development as catalysts for meaningful social and economic impact.
Mr. Maximiliano Modesti
Maximiliano Modesti, a fashion and craft entrepreneur based in Mumbai and Paris since 1994, has extensive expertise in Indian textiles and embroidery.
Founder of Les Ateliers 2M and the Kalhath Institute in Lucknow, he champions luxury craft and artisan skill development. Collaborating with top French luxury brands, his work has earned global recognition, including features at the V&A Museum and ARTE TV. He also co-founded the ModestiPerdiolle Gallery in Brussels, continuing his commitment to arts and craftsmanship.
