Sponsored and promoted by Shri M. Y. Ghorpade, the Sandur Kushala Kala Kendra, set up in 1984, is run as a non-profit center and works towards bringing national and international recognition to traditional and village crafts.

It provides the best infrastructure and marketing support to ensure a consistent demand for the products produced by craft persons and tribals. Consistency of quality, innovative designs and working with market expectations has been a key factor that has contributed to the success of the Sandur project indigenously and internationally.

At present the range of products include:

• Embroidery and Mirror work
• Cane and Bamboo Products
• Karnataka Kasuti
• Stone Sculptures and Wood Carvings
• Cotton Khadi Spinning & Weaving

Today, both men and women work at SKKK. The mirror and embroidery work, Karnataka Kasuti and Cotton Khadi (usually done by women) is organized in work sheds located in the villages surrounding Sandur and Hospet. This is easier for the women as it is close to their homes. Other crafts like stone and woodcarvings, cane and bamboo crafts are carried out in the work sheds at the main center at Sandur.

By and for artisans
The artisans have decision-making powers and it is the crafts persons representatives who attend various price determining and sales meetings.

Training
There are at present 500 artisans working for Sandur. Individuals with aptitude for designing are given training through government training institutions and through Dastkar and other agencies. This helps improve and update the products.

Focus and Design
The design development has worked around relooking at traditional fabric and methods of using mixed media like metal, shell, cloth, mirrors and threads. By studying the various combinations of color and material patched and combined together the Sandur products have evolved into a range of excitingly new and innovative products.

Market
The product is sold through intensive marketing efforts at a local level and through Dastkar’s Fairs at a national level. The SKKK is a facilitator and organizer through this marketing effort. Craft Fairs and activities are organized in a number of villages around Sandur. The products are sold in Mumbai, Bangalore, Madras, Hospet, Bellary, Hubli, Dharwar and other larger cities.

Languages: Kannada & Hindi.

Bangalore Address:

C/o The Sandur Manganese & Iron Ores Ltd.
#217, Bellary Road, Sadasivnagar, Bangalore – 560 080
Tel: 080 – 23613164, 23613165