Bidhannagar Craft Development Society is a non-governmental organisation devoted to the promotion of artisanal activities in India, with special focus on Northeast India. The focus of BCDS intervention efforts with craft communities is increased income-generation from the craft activity. The aim of the Society is to help to bridge the gap between the skilled artisan in remote areas and the market, which s/he cannot access due to geographical, cultural and other barriers.

BCDS has been involved primarily with artisan communities working with natural materials. These include bamboo and cane artisans in Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and West Bengal as well as village women working with hemp in Himachal Pradesh.

BCDS has a bank of ‘barefoot trainers’, who can provide extensive in-depth training in bamboo and fibre crafts to artisan communities. Also, BCDS has access to resource persons for design development, vegetable dyeing, documentation and public awareness programmes.

Additional Contact: Shahriyar Choudhury