Built By Rehaan Kumar

Jaipur's Crafts Are Disappearing.
Here's What the Data Shows.

A data dashboard built on first-hand field research with 50+ artisans across Jaipur's artisanal sector. Factory visits, direct interviews, and export records. Published in the Waymakers Journal of Economics and Social Dynamics.

Read the Full Paper Explore the Data
50+
Artisans interviewed across crafts
71%
Do not want children to continue the craft
~50
Blue pottery artisans remain in Jaipur (from 500)
Recognized by MSME India Validated by FORHEX Published · DOI: 10.63721/26JESD0137
Primary Research · 50+ Artisans

What the Field Research Found

87%
of artisans are satisfied with their work, yet still discourage their children from entering the craft
71%
of artisans with children do not want them working in artisanal fields
62%
of artisans without children report siblings not working or planning to work in artisanal fields
84%
have received formal education, showing the sector is structurally undervalued, not unskilled

Source: Primary interviews, 45 artisans · Neerja International, Suvasa Apparel and Furnishing Pvt. Ltd. and their supplier networks · Jaipur 2024-25

Overview

The Sector at a Glance

4,535
Hand block-printing units in Jaipur, employing 20,000+ directly
35+
Distinct craft types in Jaipur district
Rs.350-500
Average daily wage per artisan
~50 remain
Blue pottery artisans in Jaipur, down from roughly 500 over 15 years
Export Share by Craft Category

Hover over the chart to compare craft shares.

Source: FORHEX Annual Report · MSME Ministry
Intergenerational Data

The Generational Gap

% Willing to Continue Craft (by type)

Hover over each bar to see the continuation rate.

Source: Primary field research · WMJ/JESD-137

"My son studies computers. The craft dies with me."

Block printer, Sanganer, Jaipur (field interview, 2025)

Most common reasons for discouragement: seasonal risk, low income, hard work, lack of progress. 71% of artisans with children actively discourage them.

Value Distribution

Where Does the Money Go?

Raw MaterialSupplierMargin: 12% Artisan8-15%The Maker Middleman /Aggregator20-35% DomesticRetailer40-60% Export /Consumer8-12x wage The maker earns the least.
"The person who makes it earns the least from it."

Click any node to learn more

Trend Analysis

Rajasthan Handicraft Exports Over Time

Export Value (Rs. Crore) 2018-2024

Hover over each point to see export value.

Source: FORHEX Annual Report · MSME Ministry · Rajasthan Export Promotion Council
Field Interviews

The People Behind the Craft

Names changed to protect privacy. Quotes from interviews across Neerja International, Suvasa Apparel and Furnishing Pvt. Ltd. and their supplier networks, 2024-25.

Original Analysis

Craft Viability Index

How sustainable is each craft over the next decade? Rated across four dimensions based on field research and export data.

High
Medium
Low
Key finding: Jewelry Making is the only craft with high scores across all four dimensions. Stone Carving scores low across the board and faces the most acute succession crisis.
Support Systems

Policy and Initiative Tracker

A timeline for tracking programs, classroom materials, social enterprises, and workshop models that support traditional crafts.

Click to learn more.

Skill Development Courses

Training programs that connect artisans and young learners with design, production, entrepreneurship, and market-readiness skills.

CBSE Blue Pottery Educational Material

Curricular material introducing students to blue pottery as a living craft, cultural heritage, and applied design tradition.

PDKF Craft Initiatives

Women-centered craft and training initiatives that combine skill-building, production, and livelihood support.

Neerja International Artisan Support Model

A craft enterprise model linking blue pottery artisans with design, production guidance, and wider buyer networks.

Suvasa Home-Based Work Model for Women

A distributed production model that allows women to contribute to textile and craft work through home-based earning pathways.
Evidence Archive

Data Centre

Downloadable research materials for readers who want to inspect the evidence behind the dashboard.

PDF

Research Paper PDF

Download the full attached research paper used as the dashboard's evidence base.

Download
CSV

Dataset Summary

Currently unavailable.

Currently unavailable
QNA

QNA

Download the attached interview question-and-answer file used for the dashboard.

Download
NOTE

Methodology Note

Research design, sample, field sites, limitations, and citations from the paper.

Download
The Karigar Index will be updated as more data is collected, verified, and added to the public research archive.
Official Recognition

Recognized by Government and Industry

The research was formally acknowledged by two of India's leading bodies in the handicrafts and MSME sector. Click either letter to download it as a PDF.

MSME recognition letter
MSME Development and Facilitation Office
Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, Govt. of India
Download PDF
FORHEX recognition letter
Federation of Rajasthan Handicraft Exporters (FORHEX)
Body for Promotion of Handicraft and Textile Exports, Jaipur
Download PDF
Methodology and Author

How This Was Built

Research Method

  • Factory visits to Neerja International and Suvasa Apparel and Furnishing Pvt. Ltd., along with their full supplier networks
  • Direct interviews with 50+ artisans across hand block printing, blue pottery, woodwork, and embroidery
  • Interviews with Oona Singh (Founder and Director, Suvasa) and Dr. Leela Bordia (Founder, Neerja International)
  • Artisans sampled from both large established firms and independent home-based workers
  • Export data from FORHEX Annual Reports and MSME Ministry published statistics
  • Rajasthan Export Promotion Council records and secondary academic sources

Published in the Waymakers Journal of Economics and Social Dynamics. DOI: 10.63721/26JESD0137. Recognized by FORHEX and MSME India.

Rehaan Kumar
LinkedIn Copy Email
Built by Rehaan Kumar
Creator of The Karigar Index

I am a high school student in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme based in Jaipur, Rajasthan, with a strong interest in finance, economics, entrepreneurship, and research. I am passionate about preserving cultural heritage through research, combining first-hand fieldwork with data-driven storytelling to make complex social and economic issues more accessible to a wider audience.

Quoted from the paper:
"What began as curiosity soon turned into a desire to understand why so many were turning away from these traditional crafts. I realised the problem was not just about demand. It was about recognition, opportunity, and change."

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