New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed on e-marketing of world-famous Channapatna toys and said a meeting of start-ups of Bengaluru will be convened to explore the possibilities of taking Karnataka’s traditional toys to the corners of World.

Interacting with a group of toy makers of Channapatna in Ramanagara district during the virtual inauguration of ‘India Toy Fair’ in New Delhi this morning, the PM went down the memory lane, remembering his childhood days, after he heard names of a few toys. “By mentioning the names of toys, you are making me to go back to my days as a child playing with certain toys,” he said.

The toy makers told the PM that Channapatna Town, situated 60 kms from Bengaluru, is popularly known as ‘Gombegala Nagara’ (City of Toys), for manufacturing varieties of toys, which is most sought after worldwide. 

These toys have a history of over two centuries and as many as 2,000 artisans are involved in it. While 80 percent of workforce is men, 20 percent are women. The toys are made out of the locally available ‘Hale Mara’ (Soft ivory wood), cut and seasoned before coating with lacquer which is made from vegetable dyes. They will manufacture toys, abacus, dice, spinning tops and other small toys.

Modi sought to know how big the toy cluster in Channapatna was and how many people were working in it. He was explained that over 2,000 artisans were involved and there were two training Centres. The PM was also told that they required the Government’s support for opening new centres as more people were getting into this business.

The toy makers replied in negative when Modi asked whether they know about Bengaluru being called as start-ups capital and IT/BT hub of India with the pool of talents. The PM advised them to bring those professionals to Channapatna Training Centres to seek their help on latest innovation so as to make the Channapatna toys reach length and breadth of the world. 

The PM rained toy makers with a variety of questions. Have you heard of e-market? Have you tried it? What innovation have you adopted to make your toys more popular around the globe? Do you have the system of awarding prize to best innovation every year? Do you know what kind of toys is liked by children, he asked

The toy makers said they have heard about e-market but not tried about it yet. However, they have the system of giving the award to best innovation. When Modi wanted to know to which innovative toy the award was given last year? The toy maker innocently replied ‘Hanuman,’ to which, the PM said what innovation can they make out of Hanuman since it had been done in past. “If you want to attract the world towards your toys, you must go for innovation. You cannot depend upon the Government for everything. All toy makers must sit and think about bringing innovation into your 200-year-old profession to make your products reach worldwide. Of course, Government Department is there to help you in this regard. Bring innovation to your toys in such a way that it should bring smile on the faces of children around the globe,”   the PM said.

Modi promised that he would talk to the Government of Karnataka to help in arranging a visit of start-ups and IT companies to ‘toy town’ and help artisans to bring novelty in their profession. “Innovation is order of the day without which no business will prosper,” he added.