IICD Jaipur

Celebrating a meaningful step towards strengthening craft, community, and design

The Indian Institute of Crafts & Design (IICD), Jaipur, and Jaipur Rugs Foundation have come together through a Memorandum of Understanding to foster collaboration in skill development, research, and product innovation.

This partnership aims to bridge the gap between classroom learning and artisan communities—bringing students, designers, and craftspeople together to co-create, learn, and innovate for a more sustainable craft ecosystem.

With a shared vision of empowering artisans and nurturing future design leaders, this collaboration will open avenues for workshops, internships, research, and co-created design initiatives.

Signed by Dr. Toolika Gupta, Director IICD, and Mr. N. K. Chaudhary, Director Jaipur Rugs, this marks the beginning of a promising journey of craft-led impact.

ArtisanEmpowerment CraftsOfIndia SustainableDesign MoU Partnership

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2026

Textile and Clothing Research Centre, in collaboration with Graphic Era Hill University and The Indian Institute of Crafts & Design jointly invites to
Textiles & Clothing of the Himalayan Region

Join us for an enriching exploration of heritage, innovation, and sustainability in textiles!

🗓️ 23–24 October 2026
📌 Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun

💡 Key Themes Include:
• Craft Processes & Cultural Exchange
• Fibre to Fabric Technologies
• Clothing & Cultural Practices
• Textile Conservation & Museology
• Sustainable & Future Textile Systems
• Textile Trade & Heritage Economies

📢 Call for Papers Now Open!
📝 Abstract Deadline: 30 April 2026

📩 Don’t miss your chance to be part of this global dialogue

📚 Selected papers will be published in reputed indexed journals!

🔗 Scan the QR or visit the official links to submit your abstract

CulturalHeritage ResearchCommunity DehradunEvents TextileResearch Conference2026

✨ Inviting Nominations | IICD Craft Design Awards 2026 ✨
The Indian Institute of Crafts & Design (IICD) is pleased to invite applications for the IICD Craft Design Awards 2026, celebrating excellence and innovation in the field of craft and design.

🏆 A platform to recognize outstanding work that bridges tradition and contemporary design thinking.

📅 Last Date for Submission of Nominations:
30th June 2026

📩 How to Apply:
Nominations can be submitted through the IICD website. We encourage designers, institutions, and practitioners to participate and showcase impactful work in the crafts sector.

Be part of a growing community that values creativity, craftsmanship, and cultural relevance.

DesignCommunity CallForEntries CreativeExcellence

CD successfully concluded the Training Course on Crafts & Design for faculty and students from Kathmandu University with a meaningful valedictory ceremony.

This international collaboration under the ITEC Scheme by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India brought together diverse perspectives through hands-on explorations and academic sessions led by Prof. (Dr.) Toolika Gupta, Director IICD, , fostering cross-cultural learning and design exchange.

The programme reflects IICD’s continued commitment to building global linkages and nurturing dialogue between traditional crafts and contemporary design education.

We extend our gratitude to Kathmandu University and all participants for making this journey enriching and memorable.

InternationalEducation CreativeConnections

We are proud to showcase the creative spirit of the Indian Institute of Crafts & Design (IICD) at the Shilpkaree exhibition, Birla Auditorium.

Our stall features a curated selection of student works—ranging from intricate jewelry and hard material explorations to soft material innovations.

Beyond our display, IICD is also supporting the craft community by providing student volunteers to various stalls, ensuring that the stories behind these traditional crafts are shared with expertise and passion.

Come visit us to explore the future of Indian craft!

🌿 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫

On 25th February 2026, the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design (IICD), Jaipur successfully conducted a one-day Seminar & Workshop on “Use of Technology in the Crafts Sector” under the NHDP Scheme, sponsored by the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.

The program brought together 75 artisans from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh representing diverse crafts — Embroidery, Tarkashi, Kundan-Meena, Leather, Chanderi, and Bagh. The objective was to explore how technology can augment production, enhance marketing, and strengthen small craft-based businesses.

🔹 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 & 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬

▪ Dr. Toolika Gupta, Director, IICD

Led a session on “𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧”, encouraging artisans to document their skills digitally for learning, archiving, and customer engagement.

▪ Osama Manzar, Founder-Director, Digital Empowerment Foundation

Delivered an insightful session on “𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦” emphasizing conscious branding, digital entrepreneurship, and building a sustainable digital future for artisans.

▪ Kunal Maurya, Founder, Hastkala Pramanak

Spoke on “𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐬”, highlighting QR/NFC-based traceable tagging systems to ensure authenticity and strengthen consumer trust.

▪ Pratiksha Kamble, Senior Officer (Communication & Media), Digital Empowerment Foundation

Discussed 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐩-𝐮𝐩 exhibits aligned with contemporary market trends.

The seminar concluded with certificate distribution to all participating artisans.

✨ The sessions were interactive, practical, and rooted in grassroots realities. Artisans showed great enthusiasm and expressed interest in continued engagement with digital tools and strategies.

For IICD faculty and students, it was an enriching experience — reaffirmi

A session on POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) was conducted at IICD on 23rd February 2026 at 4:00 PM in the Conference Hall by Ms. Mallika, Consultant for POSH at IICD.
The session created strong awareness about what constitutes sexual harassment at the workplace, including verbal, non-verbal, and physical forms of inappropriate behavior. Ms. Mallika highlighted how certain comments, gestures, messages, visual displays, or actions — even when perceived as “casual” — can amount to harassment and contribute to an unsafe work environment.
She also explained the process of filing a complaint, the role of the Internal Committee (IC), timelines involved, confidentiality provisions, and the rights and responsibilities of both the complainant and the respondent under the POSH Act. The discussion reinforced the importance of respect, consent, professional boundaries, and building a safe and inclusive institutional culture.
All employees of IICD actively participated, making the session an engaging, reflective, and empowering learning experience for everyone.

From 4th–12th February, the talented students of MIT World Peace University, Pune immersed themselves in a transformative journey at Indian Institute of Crafts and Design (IICD) ✨
Over these inspiring days, they explored the essence of craft traditions, design thinking, and ethics in the craft sector, understanding the deep connection between creativity, culture, and community.
🧵 Hands-on workshops included:
• Zardosi Embroidery
• Thathera Metal Craft
• Leather Craft
• Dabu & Ajrak Printing
• Clay Moulding
• Thikri Craft
• Molela Craft
Each session was a celebration of heritage skills, sustainability, and innovation — where learning met doing.
The journey concluded with a vibrant final display, filled with creativity, shared stories, and heartfelt interactions with the Director of IICD , followed by certificate distribution 🎓
A week of learning, creating, and spreading love through craft ❤️

CreativeJourney HandsOnLearning SustainableDesign

On 8th January 2026, a team of 9 members from the American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS) visited IICD for a meaningful interaction exploring possibilities of collaboration around Entrepreneurship, Energy, and Education.

The visit included a campus tour, during which the team appreciated IICD’s strong commitment to Indian crafts and craft communities, followed by an engaging session with IICD faculty to discuss future avenues of collaboration.

The visit concluded with a block printing session, where each visitor was gifted a small handcrafted piece as a keepsake and memory of the experience.

Education Energy Collaboration BlockPrinting CraftHeritage

✨ A Creative Exchange at IICD ✨
We were delighted to host Ms. Emily B. Yang, Fulbright Scholar in India with BHU as her host institution and Part-time Faculty at Parsons School of Design, New York, for an enriching workshop and talk at IICD.
Through her workshop on American-style block printing using rubber blocks and her talk titled “Blockprint Futures: Integrating Traditional Craft with Collaborative Design,” Emily shared valuable insights into merging traditional craft practices with contemporary, collaborative design approaches.
The interactive sessions sparked thoughtful discussions, hands-on exploration, and meaningful exchanges with our students and faculty — making it a truly inspiring experience.
Thank you, Emily, for sharing your knowledge and creativity with the IICD community!
CraftAndDesign DesignEducation ParsonsSchoolOfDesign BHU CreativeExchange LearningThroughMaking conference hall.