A Study on the Challenges Faced by Indian Artisans and the Potential of a Pan-India Marketplace Solution

India, the country with the largest population in the world (according to 2024), possesses an enriching diversity of culture and heritage such that for every 200km of Indian Soil, the Language and Culture change. (DUBnSUB.com, 2021) Amid the age of globalisation, digitalisation and the golden decade for India’s growth, ‘Indianization’ is seen on a large scale, with Handicrafts playing a major role in the process. However, in the US $830.4 Billion Global Handicraft Industry, India’s market is worth a mere US $4.2775 billion, despite its sheer diversity. This is due to the unorganization in the sector. A KPMG study for the National Skill Development Corporation estimated that approximately 7.3 million people depend on Handicrafts and other allied activities as their source of income, with other sources confirming 6.8 million of them to be Artisans, however, In 2020, 30% of Indian artisans quit their job due to several problems that make it difficult for them to survive in their trade. These are mainly: Little Visibility in the national Wide Market, Struggle to stay in tune with new trends and the Unawareness of a Large section of the public regarding the skill of the artisans, the ingenuity of their techniques and the Natural Beauty of their Products. Solving this is of egregious importance as these harbingers of cultural exchange boost local and international economies, preserve traditional craftsmanship, open up several employment opportunities, and promote diversity and unity. Hence, this research was done with the help of a comprehensive analysis of pre-existing data, in-field research of defined areas in India, and analysis of competitors in the market, to understand these issues better and to propose a solution to them in the form of a Pan-India Marketplace, ‘PROJECT SANSKRITI’ that not only helps artisans increase their business, such that they act as competition in the handicraft market, but also solves a key issue of accessing these handicrafts that the public faces; along with an analysis of its impacts after all appreciating and preserving handicrafts is essential to maintaining the cultural identity of any locality and supporting artisan communities worldwide. (imarcgroup, 2023)