Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay

Crafts Council of India

Born in 1964 from freedom fighter Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay's crusade for India's handmade traditions, the Crafts Council of India is a volunteer-driven national body headquartered in Chennai. It documents and revives endangered crafts, trains and honours master artisans, runs the Kamala craft shops, holds annual textile and craft showcases, and connects thousands of artisan families to markets and design inputs through its network of affiliated state councils.

Crafts Council of India reports the following, on its own site:

• Spans ten affiliated State Councils, touching thousands of artisan families across 28 states