On Wednesday, Nita Ambani, the Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, unveiled the first ‘Swadesh’ store by Reliance Retail in Hyderabad.
Speaking at the launch of the first standalone Swadesh store Nita Ambani said, “Swadesh is an ode to India’s traditional arts and artisans. It’s our humble initiative to preserve and promote our country’s age-old arts and crafts. Swadesh highlights the spirit of Make in India’ and offers respect and sustenance to our skilled craftsmen and craftswomen.”
“With Swadesh, our aim is to bestow upon them the global recognition they truly merit. That’s why we are thrilled to extend Swadesh beyond India, reaching international shores in the US and Europe,” she stated, as per a press release.
The first Swadesh store in Jubilee Hills in the city, covering 20,000 sq ft, will showcase an eclectic collection of carefully curated products made entirely by hand by India’s skilled and talented artisans using long-forgotten techniques and local materials, as stated.
The release further said that the initiative “born out of Reliance Foundation’s long-standing commitment to promoting traditional artists and artisans and Nita Ambani’s vision of creating a platform to showcase their talent and skill to a wider audience”, Swadesh aims to revolutionise the way India’s age-old arts and crafts are perceived globally.
Reliance Retail’s Swadesh stores will not only present India to the world through its centuries-old art forms and creative expressions but will also open up sustainable livelihood opportunities for artisans and crafts persons to ensure that their work continues to be treasured in a world that is evolving rapidly, it said.
In addition, as a part of the Swadesh initiative, 18 Reliance Foundation Artisan Initiative for Skill Enhancement (RAISE) centres are in the process of being set up across India to ensure reach at the grassroots level and to contribute to sustaining regional artisan communities and art forms.
This is expected to enable sourcing of products made using 600 craft forms, the release added.