Creative Economy and Sustainable Development: The Context of Indian Handicrafts

The creative economy is one of the world’s most dynamic sectors. Drawing upon the author’s work on empowerment and sustainability, this book focuses on India’s indigenous, rural, traditional handicraft-based creative and cultural industries (CCIs) and the role they can play in the country’s creative economy.

The book combines a comprehensive assessment of the region’s deeply rooted cultural and creative resources with practical cases of self-sufficient creative skills and knowledge-based entrepreneurship across the Indian handicrafts sector. The author illuminates how sustainability, resilience, and collective well-being, along with unique regional characteristics, are converging towards generating an independent creative and cultural economy that does not depend on global brands and businesses alone. The disconnect between associated policies, practice, and academic work is addressed by contextualizing the case studies in terms of modern economic theory and practice, relevant administrative policies of South Asia, and recognition of the role of culture in achieving the sustainable development goals.

This concise yet comprehensive book provides an insightful and holistic understanding of India’s handicrafts economy which will be valuable reading for researchers and reflective practitioners.

Madhura Dutta, PhD is a development sector professional, researcher, and writer with more than two decades of national and international experience in culture-based sustainable development programs.