40th “Hunar Haat”, organised at MMRDA Ground, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai:

by Suman Gupta

Mumbai, 25th April, 2022: A mega event of various art, cultural, musical and laser lights show programmes, will be organised tomorrow 26th April, 2022 to mark the closing ceremony of the 40th “Hunar Haat”, organised at MMRDA Ground, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai (Maharashtra).

Senior officials of the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, both presently working and those who have worked in the Ministry earlier, and renowned artists, who have played an important role in the successful and glorious journey of the “Hunar Haat”, will be felicitated tomorrow during the mega event.

While interacting with media persons at “Hunar Haat”, MMRDA Ground, Bandra Kurla Complex today, Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Deputy Leader, Rajya Sabha, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the 40th “Hunar Haat”, which started on 16th April, will conclude on 27th April.

Shri Naqvi said that according to the estimates, around 20 lakh people from Mumbai and nearby areas have visited “Hunar Haat” till today and the number of visitors is likely to cross 25 lakh by 27th April.

Shri Naqvi said that the artisans and craftsmen, who came here from every part of the country, are excited as huge sale of their indigenous products has taken place in the Mumbai “Hunar Haat”. The artisans and craftsmen have also received large scale orders for their fabulous handmade products. About 1000 artisans and craftsmen from more than 31 states and UTs participated in this “Hunar Haat”.

Shri Naqvi said that the people visiting the “Hunar Haat” in Mumbai have enjoyed delicious traditional food from various regions of the country. Traditional Circus, laser light shows, various cultural-musical programmes by renowned artists of the country have been a major attraction at the Mumbai “Hunar Haat”.

Shri Naqvi said that the people will enjoy different art-cultural-musical programmes and memorable laser light shows on “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” during the mega show tomorrow evening. Senior officials, currently working and also those who have worked in the Ministry of Minority Affairs earlier, and renowned artists of the country will be felicitated for their immense and pivotal contribution in the success of the “Hunar Haat”.

These officials include former Secretaries of Ministry of Minority Affairs Shri Rakesh Garg, Shri Ameizing Luikham, Shri Shailesh and Shri P.K. Das; former Additional Secretary of the Ministry and NCM Secretary Shri S.K. Dev Verman; Minority Affairs Ministry’s Joint Secretaries Nigaar Fatima Sahiba, Smt. Nirupama Kotru, Shri C.P.S. Bakshi and Shri Shrinivas Danda; former Joint Secretaries in the Ministry Smt. Rakhee Gupta Bhandari and Manoj Kumar Sethi; former NMDFC CMD Shri Shahbaz Ali; former Director in the Ministry Shri P. K. Thakur and others.

Renowned artists of the country such as Pankaj Udhas, Puneet Issar (Mahabharata), Annu Kapoor, Suresh Wadekar, Kailash Kher, Sudesh Bhosle, Roop Kumar Rathore and Sonali Rathore, Talat Aziz, Altaf Raja, Shabbir Kumar, Shailendra Singh, Sadhna Sargam, Daler Mehdi, Dilbagh Singh, Nooran Sisters, Upasana Singh, Hamsar Hayat, Ehsan Qureshi, Bhupinder Singh Bhuppi, Sabri Brothers, Bhoomi Trivedi, Hamsika Iyer, Trichur Brothers, Kavita Paudwal, Mohit Khanna, Rekha Raj, Junior Mehmood, Rani Indrani, Prem Bhatia and others will also be felicitated tomorrow. These artists have performed in different “Hunar Haats”, organised across the country. Cultural and Musical programmes of these artisans are displayed live on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and other social media platform which are watched live by lakhs of people.

Shri Naqvi said that “Hunar Haat” is strengthening the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s call for “Vocal for Local” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”. Besides, promoting ancestral arts and crafts evem from remote areas of the country, “Hunar Haat” has provide employment and employment opportunities to more than 9 lakh 50 thousand artisans and craftsmen within a short span of just 6 years. More than 50 per cent of these beneficiaries are women artisans.

Shri Naqvi said that “Hunar Haat” is also available at virtual and online platformhttp://hunarhaat.organd GeM portal of Commerce Ministry of Government of India. People of the country and abroad can buy “Hunar Haat” products digital and online also. Artisans and craftsmen are receiving online orders on large scale.

Shri Naqvi said that the “Hunar Haat” will also be organised in Goa, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bhopal, Patna, Jammu, Chennai, Agra, Prayagraj, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Kota, Sikkim, Srinagar, Leh, Shillong, Ranchi, Agartala and other places in the coming days.