Kamala Award for Contribution to Craft 2018
Shri. Dayalal Atmaram Kudecha
The Kamala Award for Contribution to Craft instituted by The Crafts Council of India in the year 2000 honours a senior craftsperson for his/her contribution towards the development of traditional craft and the training of younger people in the skill. It carries a cash prize of Rs.10,000/-, medal, ‘angavastram’, citation and a certificate.
The recipient of the Kamala Award for Contribution to Craft 2018 is Shri.Dayalal Atmaram Kudecha from Bhujodi, Gujarat.
Born in 1968 into a traditional weaver’s family which migrated to the weaving village of Bhujodi near Bhuj, Shri.Dayalal Kudecha’s passion for the craft began early. He learnt the initial weaving techniques within the family and later worked under a master weaver, weaving traditional and contemporary designs for over 25 years. However, his dreams had a wider canvas. In 2008 Dayabhai took Kala Raksha Vidhyalaya’s(KRV) Design course and learnt to innovate within his tradition with brilliant results. In 2010, Dayalal Kudecha joined KRV as a core faculty member. Since then he has taught design to traditional artisans and conducted weaving workshops for international students.
Shri.Dayalal Kudecha has evolved from job worker to master weaver to entrepreneur, participating in fashion shows and the Santa Fe Folk Art Mart. He has represented India at an International Weaver’s Conference in Peru in 2013 where he both taught and learned.
This exceptional weaver whose brilliant skills have put the small village of Bhujodi on the world map is proud that his success has set an example for young people of his community to continue in or return to their traditional craft of weaving.
The Crafts Council of India is privileged to confer on Shri. Dayalal Atmaram Kudecha the Kamala Award for Contribution to Craft for the year 2018.
