Artisans should be financially stable: Rani Satish

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">MANGALORE: Kannada and culture minister Rani Satish on Saturday observed there was a need to make artisans, who were culturally rich, financially stable too. <br /><br />Speaking at the valedictory function of Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay Birth Centenary Celebrations held at the University College here, Satish noted that to an extent Kamaladevi had found the answer by helping the artisans find a larger market, but rued that efforts were still required to make artisans financially stable.<br /><br />Referring to Kamaladevi as the ''Ambassador of Indian cultural hertiage'', the minister said Kamaladevi as the chairperson of the All India Handicrafts Board, helped local artisans to develop their art, market it and also preserve the traditional art. <br /><br />She said the department will acquire 40 acres of additional land, to the existing 60 acres, for Dr Shivaram Karanth''s ''Kalagrama'' at Alevoor, adding that plans were on the anvil to establish a museum in the memory of Kamaladevi. <br /><br /><formid=367815><br /><br /></formid=367815></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><br />Satish also said the 132 year old University College building needed to be preserved as a historic building and she requested Mangalore University vice chancellor to cooperate with the Culture department, pointing out the department had signed a special memorandum of understanding with Indian National Trust for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage for preserving historical buildings. <br /><br />Former chief minister M Veerappa Moily, who was the chief guest, asserted that it was a myth that there was no market for arts and crafts. Efforts should be made in an integrated way to tap the potential in the global market, he added. <br /><br />He also indicated that artistic creativity was stagnant in handicrafts and it needed to be changed according to tastes of the people, but firm on the foundation of culture. For overall growth the Crafts Council should be under cultural department so that arts would grow commercially without losing its cultural sight. <br /><br />Earlier, to commemorate the event famous sculptor of Karkala Shilpi Shamaraya Acharya and to Lalita Ubhayakar, a veteran in the field of arts, crafts and music, were presented `Kamaladevi Kalaratna'' awards by the minister and Moily. <br /><br /><formid=367815><br /></formid=367815></div> </div>