Turning Traditional Craft into Global Identity for Thousands of Women through Exhibitions
From Barmer to the World : One Craftswoman at a Time.
When Skill Remains Unseen, It Becomes Forgotten
For generations, women across Rajasthan’s villages have been the silent torchbearers of India’s craft legacy embroidering stories into fabric, shaping culture into clay, and weaving identity into thread.
Yet, despite their exceptional skill, these artisans have long been:
Hidden from the market
Excluded from decision-making
Underpaid, undervalued, and unheard
Middlemen pocket profits, while the creators remain invisible.
What survives in their hands, dies in their bank accounts.
And when recognition fades, so does the next generation’s interest.
If skill is not showcased, it is sidelined.
If art is not seen, it is not sustained.
Exhibiting More Than Just Craft
Ruma Devi Foundation’s Handicraft Exhibitions were created not just to sell products, but to restore pride, generate income, and rewrite narratives.
These exhibitions are a powerful platform where artisans take center stage as designers, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders.
Through partnerships with fashion designers, cultural organizations, and craft councils, the Foundation:
Represents them in national and international exhibitions and fashion shows
Trains women in market readiness, quality control, and pricing
Curates collections that blend traditional techniques with modern aesthetics
Ensures that artisans represent themselves at events, breaking barriers of language, access, and class
The exhibitions have taken place across major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and even on global stages.
What begins in the mud huts of Barmer, now dazzles under spotlighted pavilions and runways.
And the storyteller is no longer a brand.
It’s the artisan herself.
Recognition That Changes Generations
The exhibitions have transformed more than income they’ve transformed identity.
Over 30,000 women artisans have gained exposure through GVCS and Ruma Devi Foundation platforms
Exhibitions have led to direct buyer connections, institutional orders, and international visibility
Crafts such as appliqué, patchwork, hand embroidery, Gota-Patti, mirror work, and more, once confined to corners, now decorate fashion ramps and luxury stores
Artisans who once doubted their worth now introduce themselves as entrepreneurs, designers, and mentors
Women have spoken on national television, shared panels with designers, and showcased collections in front of fashion critics
Each exhibition adds more than revenue, it adds voice, validation, and vision.
Villages where women never stepped outside their homes are now filled with women whose work travels across continents.
And buyers no longer ask, "How much for this piece?"
They ask, "Who made it?"
Because now, they know: behind every craft is a woman reclaiming her place.
