
Pipli appliqué embroidery (Pipli, Puri district)
Archana Pal, Bhubaneswar
I come from Bhubaneswar and I am trained in various applique work techniques. I have a very supportive family, and live with my husband and two kids. I work on the side to not give up the craft I am so fond of. I normally make small embroidered patchwork textiles like wall hangings, with embroidery restricted to limited small areas. However with Boito I have challenged my abilities to work on a large scale and employ this craft in ways I had not imagined. This gives me joy and a will to continue to explore the maximum potential of Pipli. I am eager to see how far we can take this in terms of reach. My daughter is in grade 12 and wants to pursue design and contribute to our traditional crafts in the best way possible.

Pattachitra painting (Raghurajpur, Puri district)
Purna Mohapatra, Bhubaneswar
My passion for art began in childhood, leading me to pursue formal training after completing my graduation. I trained for two years at a government institute, honing my skills in this intricate art form. In recognition of my contributions to pattachitra, I was honoured with a State Award in 2020 and the Lalit Kala Academy Award in 2023. Currently, alongside my artistic pursuits, I work as a senior designer at a design company, blending tradition with contemporary creativity.

Mukha chitra papier-mâché (Raghurajpur, Puri district)
Purushottam Mohapatra, Bhubaneswar
I come from Cuttack district, from a background of Jagannath seva through pattachitra. I was trained under Sri Jagannath Mohapatra in Raghurajpur in pattachitra and papier-mâché. I have received National and State awards and various other certificates in papier mache, and have attended many government programs and visited many states. I am happy with what I earn and lead a healthy happy life with my son, daughter-in-law and grandchild.

Kotpad handloom textile (Kotpad, Koraput district)
Jagabandhu Panika, Batasana
From age 15, I would watch my father work and sit with him and try and learn weaving techniques on my own. I would make simple lines and borders, like the temple borders, earlier. Only in the last 20 years have I learned motifs and more complicated designs including fish, crabs, elephants, tigers, peacocks, people dancing and singing, trees etc. I am 55-years-old, and I am able to manage my family expenses with this work. I live in a mud house with my wife and children 10kms away from Kotpad. I make sarees and odhanis and sell them to local shopkeepers in the area. They keep my things and sometimes pay me only after they are able to sell. I feel really happy when my work gets appreciated, and the finesse in my artisanship and imagination has a good audience.

Khandua bandha textile (Nuapatna, Cuttack district)
Laxmidhar Guin, Nuapatna
I belong to Jagannath land, producing khandua silk in Tigiria, Nuapatna. Before me, my father, grandfather and great grandfather practiced this tie-dye artform. When I was 15, I would help my father and looked up to him as my guru for this work. I currently make sarees and stoles using this technique. I am also experimenting now with natural dyes and organic materials to create new products.

Surendra Kumar Das, Nuapatna
I was born in Nuapatna and learnt tying from my brothers and neighbours in the village after my 10th grade. My father had died around this time, so I could not continue school for financial reasons. Mom was blind and had also died early. I was one of five brothers and two sisters. No one in my family studied beyond 4th grade. Because my siblings supported me, I could continue my studies until 10th. But beyond that, I had to begin supporting my family. I would love to explore markets outside our geography and bring in additional income. We need to be more aware and information must be made public - not staying within the societal hierarchy so that we may all prosper as weavers. We need a way by which every home, every loom in our village is always occupied, depending on the individual's capacity.

Dhokra metal casting (Sadeibereni, Dhenkanal district)
Trinath Behera, Dhenkanal
I have been working with dhokra from age 8, learning from my father. Aged 12, I trained for a year under my guru Swargiya Chaitanya Rana from Baripada. After this, I found the art interesting enough to devote my life to it. In class 6, my father realised my interest in this craft and left me in Bhubaneswar under Sir Babulal. He passed away within 6 months of me being there and I had to come back home to Dhenkanal. I was already getting orders for dhokra in my village while also managing school. I soon realised I am not made for studies and quit to dedicate all my time to this traditional artform. I get overjoyed at challenges and would go to any lengths to see our craft reach an international audience. It is the intricacy and beauty of this craft technique that keeps me motivated to stay fully immersed in it.

Bobei sabai grass craft (Guhaldihi, Mayurbhanj district)
Jhunmuni Naik, Guhaldihi
I come from a farming family. We lost my uncle sometime when I was in school, and he was my father’s only helping hand in the fields. My father always encouraged us to study. My younger brother is the only boy in my family, and is disabled - which is very hard on my parents as his carers. I went away to study for 6 months but could not pursue further due to financial inability. I also did medical training in the hope of bringing in some income but nothing worked. I learnt this sabai work to support my brothers and sisters. I am unmarried and taking care of my family. But I feel happy about my family’s health currently, and with support from NGOs within Odisha that promote our craft and give us continuous orders.

Malli Mani Nayak, Guhaldihi
I was born to a big family of five sisters and one brother. My sisters were married while my parents were alive. I went to Baripada for my studies. I lost my father in the 10th grade and that was a very tough period for me. A year later, I also lost my mother. I went on to do a computer course to support my family. My brother never worked or earned any money. He is married with three children and their responsibility is on me. Men in my village don’t attempt any work throughout their lives. So I chose to stay unmarried to reduce the burden on us and get my nieces and nephew educated. I have received training from Ormas to make sabai grass products, which grows abundantly in my village.

Purnima Naik, Guhaldihi
I come from a family of four: mother, father and two sisters. My younger sister Manini died young. My mother stays unwell and we end up spending a large part of our income in taking care of her. My father is a farmer. I am struggling to find ways to make ends meet as I have not been able to study. I hope to find a way to continue staying home with my parents and use my potential in sabai craft for larger markets.

Kata kaama coir craft (Raghurajpur, Puri district)
Bhanumati Mallik, Raghurajpur
I have two daughters and am worried for their future. I want to be able to support my kids with whatever little extra income I make. I have a happy home with my husband and we are doing okay without having access to too many resources. I learnt this coir craft on my own observing people around me and making use of the material available in abundance. We give shape to the form using a layer of husk that has a preprocess to clean up, and then use fingers with the right pressure to spread evenly across, tying with thread to finish the final product. These products are very lightweight and we can try many experiments with this craft. We really like being challenged, especially since it gives us value and shows us a path to take our craft forward.

Jyotsna Rani Mallik, Raghurajpur
I have three young daughters and would love the support system to go out of my house and sell what I am able to make. I need access to more markets, instead of relying on visitors coming to this village - and that too very often only in winter and festival seasons.

Kabita Das, Raghurajpur
I was born in Gopinathpur and grew up in poverty. I was married into Jankadevi, and had children who have studied until 9th/10th grade. I learnt this coir craft to make my own pocket money and be able to fulfill some extra needs for my growing kids. I now hope to be able to take this ahead and set up exhibits with the products I make. Coir craft uses the outer husk of dry coconuts, and since we have that in abundance here we can do many experiments with this material.

Minnati Dey Mallik, Raghurajpur
I have been working with coir craft for the last 40 years, having done four trainings outside my village. I like working with coir and it keeps me going. I lost my husband a long time back. I have no big needs except that my children should stay happy. I have dedicated a large part of my life to this craft and would like to see it prosper while I'm alive.

Rita Mallik, Raghurajpur
My parents brought me up with great difficulty being poor. I now have three children of my own. I learnt this art because I really needed the extra income to meet my family’s needs. My husband is a fisherman. I feel bad when visitors come home to buy my coir products, negotiate and buy things in very minimal amounts. Despite making losses I have to sell to make ends meet sometimes. I want people to allow me the opportunity to take this craft outside my village and not just depend on visitors to come and buy here. I had a love marriage and am very happily settled.

Cane and wire structural skeleton
Sushant Mondal, Delhi
I am from Gangasagar in West Bengal and work with cane, bamboo, wire and fabric. I’ve been fascinated by handicrafts from a young age. I started working in this space in Calcutta, and now I am based out of Delhi. I’ve worked on many interesting projects with big companies such as Pero, and making a whole building entirely out of bamboo. I was very happy to work on this project as it’s very different from the norm, and I like to work on projects that challenge me.