Goa: Activist Shreha Dhargalkar moots project to financially support Goan artisans, meets with Art & Culture Min Govind Gaude on Thursday

PANAJI: Siolim, North Goa-based activist Shreha Dhargalkar has come up with a unique project to financially help local and traditional artisans of Goa; and to put the project into action met and discussed the same with the Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude of the Government of Goa.

She suggested several variations and options to support Goan village artisans and placed the same before the Goa Art & Culture Minister on Thursday.

Dhargalkar met Gaude with an official appointment to discuss the project to support Goan randpis (cooks), tailors, plumbers, carpenters, wood carvers, painters and other artisans and traditional and cultural workers who have been carrying on their age-old arts and crafts for more than a century.

Dhargalkar has suggested a weekly village market in various parts of Goa, supported by the Art & Culture department in every city and town in Goa, particularly the coastal belt, wherein only local artisans and craftsmen can display and sell their wares and crafts.

After the meeting Dhargalkar who spoke to media persons said Gaude was very supportive and listened to her patiently.

“He encouraged me to go ahead with the project and promised that his department would support the initiative,” Dhargalkar said, adding that her team would prepare a feasibility report and submit it to the Government of Goa.

She also presented Gaude with a recently published book “100 Inspiring Indians”, which features an article on her efforts during the Covid lockdown to help underprivileged people, particularly migrants and others who were stuck in the coastal state without food and other basic requirements.

Speaking on phone with this reporter later, Dhargalkar said Gaude has always been an inspiration to her and she holds him in very high esteem. He was all ears and showed great interest in my project.

“We intend to generate good business and income for all Goan artisans and craftsmen through this initiative. In the first phase we are identifying artisans who need our help and will launch the weekly bazaar from the first week of December,” Dhargalkar said.

Gaude said he supported Dhargalkar in her initiatives to help Goan artisans and craftsmen and will look at ways and means to implement her concept practically with the support of his department.