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Padma Shri Tripti Mukherjee Credits Mother, Empowers 20,000 Women with Kantha

Tripti Mukherjee, a handicraft artist from Birbhum, West Bengal, has been awarded the Padma Shri for her work in Kantha stitch embroidery. She credits her mother for teaching her the craft and dedicates the award to her. Mukherjee has trained over 20,000 rural women in the art, empowering them to become self-reliant. Her work, which depicts rural life, has previously been recognized with a National Award and state honors.

Key Points: Padma Shri Tripti Mukherjee Credits Mother for Kantha Craft Success

  • Honored with Padma Shri
  • Trained over 20,000 women
  • Learned Kantha from her mother
  • Received National Award in 2012
  • Among 11 awardees from West Bengal
2 min read

Padma awardee handicraft artist Tripti Mukherjee credits mother for learning Kantha craft

Kantha artist Tripti Mukherjee, honored with Padma Shri, trained over 20,000 rural women. She learned the craft from her mother and dedicates the award to her.

"I first learned this craft from my mother. So the credit for this award goes to her. - Tripti Mukherjee"

Kolkata, Jan 26

Tripti Mukherjee, a renowned handicraft artist from Suri in West Bengal's Birbhum district, who has empowered thousands of rural women through the art of Kantha stitch, has credited her mother for her success after being honoured with the Padma Shri by the Centre.

Mukherjee, who has trained more than 20,000 women in Nakshi Kantha -- the traditional embroidered quilt art -- said she learned the craft from her mother and dedicated the prestigious award to her.

Speaking to the media after her name figured in the list of Padma Shri awardees, Mukherjee said, "I first learned this craft from my mother. So the credit for this award goes to her. I have travelled to almost every village in Birbhum and trained women in Kantha work. Over 20,000 women have learned this art and become self-reliant. Their enthusiasm to learn always inspired me."

Mukherjee's Nakshi Kantha creations vividly depict rural life and reflect the dreams and aspirations of village women. Over the years, her work has earned wide recognition.

In 2012, she received a national award from then-President Pranab Mukherjee. She was conferred the West Bengal government's Bangashree honour in 2017, followed by the 'Shilpaguru' award in handicrafts from the Union Ministry of Textiles in 2018. The Padma Shri now adds to her long list of accolades.

Expressing her joy, Mukherjee said, "I am extremely happy to receive this recognition. What began as a childhood passion eventually became my profession."

On Sunday night, state BJP leader Jagannath Chatterjee visited Mukherjee's residence in Birbhum to congratulate her. He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognising talent from the Suri region.

Mukherjee is among 11 personalities from West Bengal across various fields to be honoured with Padma Shri awards this year.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Fantastic achievement! Training 20,000 women is no small feat. This is how we preserve our heritage and build the economy from the ground up. Hope this inspires more such initiatives across India.
A
Arjun K
While the recognition is well-deserved, I wish the article focused more on the art form itself and the challenges these rural women face. The political leader's visit at the end feels a bit like tokenism. The real story is the craft and the empowerment.
S
Sarah B
As someone who collects Indian textiles, Nakshi Kantha is breathtaking. The stories stitched into the fabric are incredible. So glad to see the artists behind it getting national recognition. Would love to see her work in a museum exhibition.
M
Meera T
This is the India we need to celebrate! Women supporting women, preserving culture, and creating sustainable livelihoods. Her mother must be so proud. 👏
K
Karthik V
Great news for Bengal's handicraft sector. These Padma awards to grassroots artists and social workers are more meaningful than some of the film star awards. Hope it brings more visibility and market access for Kantha work.

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