Indo-French Collaboration through Art: A Special Kavad for the 2024 World Craft Day [fr]

The Embassy of France in India, in partnership with the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design (IICD), Jaipur, is pleased to announce the creation and unveiling of a unique Indo-French Kavad, which will join the collections of the Embassy of France in India on the occasion of World Craft Day 2024. This collaborative effort highlights the strong cultural ties between France and India celebrating artisans’ role in preserving heritage and driving innovation.

A hallmark of traditional Rajasthani craft, the Kavad is a portable wooden shrine used in storytelling practices. The Kavad will be reimagined to represent key moments of Indo-French cooperation in culture, education, and innovation. This one-of-a-kind piece will incorporate both Indian and French motifs, such as national flags, the Eiffel Tower, India Gate, the Little Prince, the Prime Minister of India and the President of France, as well as references to the Olympic Games, Bollywood and bilateral cooperation, drawing on the long history of artistic exchanges and innovation between the two nations.

Hosted at the Residence of France in India, the event began with a talk by Indian filmmaker Dr Nina Sabnani and was followed by the unveiling of the special Indo-French Kavad. An exhibition of traditional Kavads at the venue, curated by IICD, provided an opportunity to engage with the craftsmen behind these masterpieces.

On this occasion, the Ambassador of France to India, H.E. Mr Thierry Mathou, remarked: “India and France are both deeply attached to their cultural diversity as well as to their local crafts traditions. This kavad aims at being a bridge for cultural understanding and dialogue between our two countries. I had the pleasure of meeting with the craftsmen during a visit to Udaipur and was truly amazed by the quality of the work and the ancient tradition it keeps alive. This rich cultural heritage needs to be preserved and put forward.”

The Embassy of France in India has been developing strong cooperation in the arts and crafts over the past two years. From the launch of the flagship residencies network Villa Swagatam with its special emphasis on arts & crafts to enable French artists and creatives to discover the rich production ecosystem of India, to institutional collaborations with the Mobilier National and Sèvres Manufacture & Museum – including an Indo-French exhibition on textiles in Paris in December 2025 – cultural exchanges have never been so active and ambitious. By focusing on this specific area of collaboration, the French Embassy also wishes to encourage the development of cultural and creative industries and promote the recognition of Indian crafts and their contribution to the international design and fashion ecosystems. After the iconic Dior show in April 2023, the French Embassy in India acknowledged the outstanding work of Chanakya Studio and Chanakya School of Crafts by awarding its co-founder Ms Karishma Swali the National Order of Merit. In March 2023, Business France also organized an exhibition at Bikaner House to promote French companies specializing in lifestyle and design, outlining once again the immense potential for Indo-French collaboration.

Last, the choice of promoting Kavad artisans is also a direct outcome of the long-term collaboration between France and Rajasthan. In January 2024, Prime Minister Modi received President Emmanuel Macron in Jaipur, where the president also met artisans from the region as collaborations are a priority of his government under the recent French National Strategy for Arts and Crafts.