Sri Vijaya Puram, Jan 12: The Heritage Craft and Community Division of INTACH, New Delhi, under the able guidance of Smti. Bindu Manchanda in collaboration with the Directorate of Rural Development, successfully concluded a five-day Rag Doll Making Workshop today at the RD Office, Marine Hill.
The workshop, which ran from January 8th to 12th, 2026, provided intensive training to 34 women from various rural areas and diverse ethnicities. Under the expert guidance of textile designer and INTACH resorce person Ashwini Kurup from Mumbai, participants learned the intricate art of transforming cotton rags into unique handcrafted dolls.
By the end of the program, each participant had successfully crafted two to three dolls. In a personal touch to celebrate their creativity, every doll was named after the woman who created it.
The valedictory ceremony was graced by Chief Guest Shri Apurva Gupta, DANICS, Director of Rural Development, who presented certificates of completion to the participants. He lauded the initiative for its role in fostering self-reliance among rural women.
Ms. Samhita Veda Acharyaa, Convenor of the INTACH Andaman & Nicobar Chapter, highlighted the workshop’s goal of empowering women with sustainable skills. She announced that the INTACH A&N Chapter will provide dedicated marketing support to the participants once they are ready to retail their products.
Looking forward, Ms. Acharyaa informed that plans are already underway to conduct a similar workshop for women in North and Middle Andaman to further expand this livelihood initiative.
