Reliance Foundation chairperson Nita Ambani hosted a celebration at the Swadesh flagship store in Mumbai’s Eros precinct to honour India’s master artisans and spotlight living craft traditions. The store’s Master’s Pavilion displayed works by acclaimed makers — including miniature-art specialist Shammi Bannu Sharma, Odisha Ikat expert Gunjan Jain, and weaving masters V. Panneerselvam, GhanShyam Sarode and Padma Shri awardee Biren Basak. Each piece underscored crafts passed down through generations and preserved in village communities across India.
Ambani personally viewed the artworks and weaving pieces, interacted with the artisans and publicly honoured their skill and legacy. The evening aimed to elevate traditional craftsmanship by giving artisans prominent visibility on a high-profile platform.
Her attire echoed the event’s theme: a peacock-blue Banarasi saree from Swadesh woven with the traditional Kadhua technique and decorated with Meena motifs, paired with a Manish Malhotra blouse featuring a polki border, hand-painted deity buttons and a vintage spinel tassel. Her jewellery — antique kundan-polki earrings, a handcrafted jadau bird ring from Swadesh and a haath phool inherited from her mother — reinforced the tribute to heritage and personal lineage.
The event highlighted key objectives: reviving living crafts at risk from industrialization, honouring individual artisans, promoting sustainable livelihoods for craft communities, and showing how traditional techniques can be presented with contemporary appeal to remain relevant today.
