KOLKATA, West Bengal — Renowned handicraft artist Tripti Mukherjee of Suri in West Bengal’s Birbhum district has credited her mother for teaching her the art of Kantha stitching, after being conferred with the Padma Shri for her contributions to traditional handicrafts and women’s empowerment.
Mukherjee, who has trained more than 20,000 rural women in Nakshi Kantha, a traditional embroidered quilt craft, said she learned the skill from her mother and dedicated the prestigious honour to her.
“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 said while speaking to the media after the announcement.
Her Nakshi Kantha creations are known for vividly portraying rural life and reflecting the dreams and aspirations of village women. Over the years, her work has received wide recognition at the state and national levels.
In 2012, Mukherjee received a national award from then President Pranab Mukherjee. She was later honoured with the West Bengal government’s Bangashree award in 2017, followed by the Shilpaguru award in handicrafts from the Union Ministry of Textiles in 2018. The Padma Shri adds to a long list of accolades earned over her career.
Expressing her happiness, Mukherjee said the recognition marked a special moment in her life. “I am extremely happy to receive this recognition. What began as a childhood passion eventually became my profession,” she said.
On Sunday night, state BJP leader Jagannath Chatterjee visited Mukherjee’s residence in Birbhum to congratulate her and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognising talent from the Suri region.
Mukherjee is among 11 personalities from West Bengal from various fields to receive Padma Shri awards this year. (Source: IANS)
