Srinagar, Oct 22 :: The Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM) will organise a ten-day SARAS Aajeevika Kashmir 2026 exhibition at Polo View Park in Srinagar from October 25, bringing together women entrepreneurs, artisans and traditional food producers from different parts of the country.
According to an official statement, the exhibition will feature around 70 to 80 stalls showcasing handicrafts, handloom products, traditional jewellery, home décor and regional cuisines.
Women associated with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission will participate in the event to display and sell their products and explore new business opportunities.
Participants from Telangana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Tripura, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, among other states, will showcase traditional products, including Pochampally Ikat sarees, Banarasi textiles, Chikankari embroidery, jute products and eco-friendly handicrafts.
The exhibition will also feature the ‘Umeed Ka Zaika’ food court, where women-led food enterprises will offer traditional dishes from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and other regions.
Besides the exhibition, cultural programmes and training sessions will be organised to help SHG members improve product quality, marketing skills and business development.
Mission Director JKRLM Dr. Shubhra Sharma said the mela would provide rural women with an opportunity to reach wider markets and understand changing consumer preferences.
“Every product displayed at SARAS carries a story of the woman behind it, the skills she has developed, the effort she has invested and the confidence she has gained in building an enterprise of her own,” she said.
Sharma said the event was not merely about selling products but also about recognising the efforts of women who have established their own businesses through the SHG movement.
She said bringing artisans and entrepreneurs from different states together would also allow visitors to experience India’s diverse cultural traditions, crafts and cuisines.
The exhibition will continue for ten days, providing a platform for rural women entrepreneurs to connect directly with customers and promote their products. (KNS)
