India boasts of 12 million artisans and 500 plus craft clusters which makes for an enviable inheritance. Yet, it’s a shame that many of our indigenous crafts are dying, and artisans are opting out of the trade; middlemen also play an exploitative role. A website that is trying to make a difference is Indianartisansonline.com (IAO), which believes that technology can improve artisans’ lives and livelihoods.

A Pichwai artisan from Nathdwara, Udaipur

IAO offers an artisan directory that lists craftsmen from whom buyers (individuals and institutions) can contact directly. They also have an online store that showcases the talent of artisans through a signature collection of handcrafted products and art pieces.

How it began?
The site, which emerged after five years of hard work, covers 69 crafts and 600 artisan communities in UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, among other states. The crafts that are showcased on the site include folk art, textiles, papier-mache, block printing, weaving, tribal embroideries and wood carving.