Reliance’s big bet on handicraft, first ‘Swadesh’ store launched, planning to take the country’s art to US-Europe
New Delhi: Reliance has started presenting the centuries-old art of India to the world from Hyderabad. Founder and chairperson of Reliance Foundation, Nita Ambani has launched the first ‘Swadesh’ store of Reliance Retail. Swadesh store is spread over 20,000 square feet in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. Nita Ambani said that this store is completely dedicated to Indian arts and crafts. Swadesh has been started with the aim of taking India’s age-old arts and crafts to the global level. In this store, products and crafts of traditional artists and artisans from across the country will be available for sale.
Artisans and craftsmen will earn
Nita Ambani said, ‘Reliance Retail’s ‘Swadesh’ stores will become a platform to present the age-old art of India to the world. Besides, these will also become a source of income for artisans and craftsmen. Apart from handicrafts, products like handmade food items and clothes will also be available for purchase in Swadesh Store.
Planning to open stores in America and Europe also
Speaking to the media after the launch of the store, Nita Ambani said, ‘Swadesh is a humble initiative to save and promote the traditional arts and artisans of India. It embodies the spirit of ‘Make in India’ and will become a means of earning a living with dignity for our skilled artisans and craftsmen. They are truly the pride of our country and through Swadesh we will try to give them the global recognition they deserve. We will try to expand Swadesh internationally along with India in America and Europe also.
Swadesh Experience Zone set up in NMACC
Swadesh Experience Zone has been created at Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center (NMACC), Mumbai. Here, Indian and international guests can watch skilled master artisans at work. They can interact with them as well as make purchases. The artisans at NMACC received so many orders that the deadline for this experience zone created for three days had to be extended. The artisans get the entire income from all the products sold here.
18 RAISE centers will be built
The process of setting up 18 Reliance Foundation Artisan Initiative for Skill Enhancement (RAISE) centers across India is underway. This is expected to provide a shopping platform for more than 600 craft products. If the customer wants to get complete information about any product in Swadesh Store, then there is also the facility of ‘Scan and Know’ technology. With this, the story behind every product and its manufacturing can be known.
