Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design to be inaugurated along with India biennale in Dec

New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI) A centre to promote indigenous crafts of India and contribute to sustainable cultural economy with a vision to achieve self-reliance is set to be inaugurated here next month, officials said on Friday.

The Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design (ABCD) has been named 'Project Aatman'. It is housed in a colonial-era barrack on the premises of the Red Fort complex in Delhi.

The centre will be inaugurated along with the maiden India Art, Architecture & Design Biennale (IAADB) to be held from December 9-15.

The inauguration and the VIP preview of the biennale, helmed by the Union Culture Ministry, will take place on December 8.

'On the opening day, a number of other launches will also happen. Research journals on the biennale will be released, besides a host of other events. The Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design will also be inaugurated,' a senior official in the ministry said.

The mega event will take place in the Red Fort complex and seven 'specially-curated' thematic pavilions will be housed in three British-era barracks located on the premises of the Mughal-era monument.

Seven thematic catalogues will come out, which will happen after the end of the seven-day event. The exhibitions, however, will stay till March 2024, the official said, adding, at the end of March, a coffee table book on the biennale is planned to be brought out.

'Project Aatman' is helmed by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), which comes under the purview of the Ministry of Culture.

The IGNCA has 'set up the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design (ABCD) to pave the way for a sustainable cultural economy derived from the indigenous crafts of India by empowering the artisan communities with new designs and innovations,' according to the IGNCA website.

This centre is housed in a colonial-era barrack, from the year 1861, on the Red Fort premises, a site of historical and cultural importance, it said.

'What is strikingly outstanding about this Centre (ABCD) is its philosophy to facilitate a self-reliant India, a mission led by the Prime Minister of India in relation to the economic development of the country. Due to rapid global industrialisation and technological advancement, the traditional handicraft sector has suffered a setback in the competing markets of today. To sustain, the crafts need to be moulded in a form that is in sync with evolved needs and preferences of urban consumers,' it added.

Therefore, it has become necessary to facilitate innovation in crafts that will lead to creation of 'interesting juxtaposition of traditional skills and contemporary taste', the officials said.

'This centre will not only reinvent the craft sector, but will also provide economic stability and livelihood to the people associated with it. As we celebrate 75 years of India's Independence, Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design will be a one-of-a-kind platform showcasing a part of our heritage for the citizens of our nation and international visitors to learn from, engage with, and appreciate,' the IGNCA said. PTI KND CK