Mysore/Mysuru: ‘Hunar Haat‘, a mega indigenous handicraft and culinary exhibition organised by the Minority Affairs Ministry, was inaugurated by Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers D.V. Sadananda Gowda at Maharaja’s College Grounds in city this morning. The expo will be on till Feb. 14 and entry is free. 

This is the 25th Edition of the expo and is being organised in Mysuru for the first time. Over 125 stalls have been set up at Hunar Haat where more than 250 artisans and craftsmen including women artisans from across the country are participating. 

Inaugurating the event, Sadananda Gowda said that Hunar Haat has become a successful mission to provide employment opportunities and national as well international markets for thousands of master artisans, craftsmen and culinary experts.

“It is an effective mission —from local to global — which has been ensuring that the common people become a part of mainstream economic development. It has been providing market and opportunity to India’s indigenous legacy of handmade arts and crafts. It has proved to be magnificent platform to understand India’s rich cultural heritage under one roof,” he said. “While on one hand, Hunar Haat, launched by the Narendra Modi Government three years back, has ensured that the artisans get work, on the other hand it has given international recognition to legacy of Indian arts and crafts. More than three lakh artisans, craftsmen, culinary experts and people associated with them including a large number of women artisans have been provided employment,” he added. 

Mysuru-Kodagu MP, in his introductory remarks, said that the event, organised under “USTTAD” (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development) scheme, is an exhibition of handicrafts and traditional products made by artisans from the minority communities. “It is the best example of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas and Sabka Vishwas’ and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. In the coming days, we are planning to have a permanent exhibition of art and craft in Mysuru and I have brought this to the notice of Minister Sadananda Gowda,” he said. 

The exhibition premise is being sanitised four to five times a day by a team from New Delhi and visitors can take pleasure in conventional delicacies from totally different elements of the nation. 

Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports K.C. Narayanagowda, Managing Director of Union Minority Development Corporation Shahabaz Ali, Additional Secretary of Minority Affairs Ministry S.K. Dev Varman, Secretary C.K. Das, Joint Secretary C.T.S. Bakshi University of Mysore Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar, Karnataka Exhibition Authority Chairman Hemanth Kumar Gowda and others were present.