Chandigarh, February 1 – President of India, Mrs Pratibha
Devisingh Patil inaugurated the 23rd Surajkund Crats Mela at
Surajkund, Faridabad today.
Mrs Patil
commended
the efforts of
the Haryana
Tourism
Department
and
appreciated the
new initiatives
taken by the
Haryana
Minister of
State for
Tourism, Mrs
Kiran Choudhry for providing an international platform to the
craftsmen belonging to the rural areas of India and for the
participation of different foreign countries. Mrs Patil took keen interest
in all the exhibited handicraft products in the Mela and spent more
than her scheduled time amidst the crafts persons from different parts
of the State and foreign countries. She interacted with the craftsmen
about their handicrafts and income generated from the handicrafts.
She was highly impressed with the products made by the women
belonging to the Self Help Groups and encouraged them to showcase
their art and also earn a livelihood through their handicrafts.
Mrs Patil also appreciated the handicraft items exhibited in
different stalls of foreign countries namely Egypt, Thailand and
SAARC nations and said that it would further help in strengthening
the relations between the various countries. She said that it was need
of the hour in the present times that we have to strengthen the bonds
of brotherhood amongst the people of the world.
Speaking on the occasion, Haryana Minister of State for
Tourism, Mrs Kiran Choudhry said that Haryana Government has
made all possible efforts to provide a better platform for the craftsmen
of the country at Surajkund Crafts Mela. She said that this is the first
time that there had been impressive international participation and
including SAARC nations, Egypt has also participated in a big way.
She said that many more countries would be roped in for the
Surajkund Crafts Mela every year so that our craftsmen get more
exposure and an opportunity to work at international level.
Mrs Choudhry said that UPA President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi
inagurated the 21 Surajkund Crafts Mela and appreciated the efforts
of the Surajkund Mela Authority for conserving and encouraging the
traditional art and culture of our country. She said that it a matter of
pride for all the craftsmen that President of India appreciated their
handicrafts and encouraged them to preserve their traditional art. She
said that President appreciated the efforts of the Haryana Forests
epartment for promoting women empowerment by generating more
than 1700 Women Self Help Groups of women in Haryana. She said
that for the very first time these groups of women involved in making
handicrafts would be exhibiting their products at such a big platform
and with their participation at Surajkund Crafts Mela they would be
instilled with confidence to take part in more such events in the future.
She said that such efforts empower the rural women and would be
able to significantly contribute in family income.
Mrs Choudhry said that
folk artists belonging to
Egypt and other States
would start performing
at
the
Mela from
February 3, as the
country was mourning
the death of former
President of India, Mr R
K Venkataraman. She
said that Surajkund
Crafts
Mela
has
achieved
an
international stature with
the
participation
of
about 400 National and
State
awardees
craftsmen from all over India and 24 craftsmen from SAARC nations,
eight from Thailand and five from Egypt. She said that the historical
sun pool at Surajkund would be soon rejenuvated by the Government
of India. She said that with the intervention of Union Tourism Minister,
Mrs Ambika Soni the work would be soon started to fill the sun pool.
The Union Tourism Minister, Mrs Ambika Soni stated that on
the pattern of Surajkund Crafts Mela, Ministry of Tourism,
Government of India have started setting up of replicas of Surajkund
Crafts Mela in four other parts of the country. She said that such
events would encourage and motivate the craftsmen from all over the
country and a marketing forum was provided to them. She said that
Surajkund Crafts Mela has become a calendar event in the
international tourism circuit and also helps in increasing the domestic
and foreign tourists arrival in the country.
Also present on the occasion were husband of President of
India, Dr Devisingh Patil, Haryana Power Minister Mr Randeep Singh
Sujewala, Haryana Minister for Labour and Technical Education Mr A
C Choudhary, Madhaya Pradesh Tourism Minister Mr Tukoji Rao
Puar and other officers belonging to Centre, Haryana and Madhya
Pradesh Government.