President Pranab Mukherjee today stressed the need for preserving India's handicrafts and handloom herritage. He said that a focussed approach is need to adopt changes that are taking place in the present global economic sceinario. Conferring the Shilp Guru Awards, Sant Kabir Awards along with National Award to master craftpersons and master weavers at a function in New Delhi, Mr Mukherjee said that artisans are also required to be given access to modern tools. He said great tradition of handicrafts and handlooms can play an important role in giving employment and stregthening of country's economy as well.

Our correspondent reports that Shilp Guru awards are conferred to legendary master craftspersons of Handicrafts whose work and dedication have contributed not only to the preservation of rich and diverse craft heritage of the country. While Sant Kabir Award is conferred on such outstanding weaver who has made valuable contribution in keeping alive the handloom heritage and also for his dedication in building up the linkages between the past, present and future through dissemination of knowledge on traditional skills and designs.
National Awards to Master Craftspersons and master weavers were introduced in 1965 and the award comprises of a cash prize of 1 lakh rupees, a certificate, Tamrapatra and an Angavastram.