The Repository of Indian Textiles and Crafts is a national knowledge portal titled Bharatiya Vastra Shilpa Kosh created to collect, organise, digitally preserve, aggregate, and disseminate interrelated information on Indian traditional textiles and crafts globally. This information repository is an attempt to showcase and celebrate the long and varied tradition of textiles and crafts in India.

It will digitally archive both tangible and intangible knowledge resources on indigenous and contemporary textiles and crafts, research related to textiles and apparel, designer and artisan database, virtual museum, events, and exhibitions. ‘The Repository-Indian Textiles & Crafts’ is an initiative of the Ministry of Textiles; Government of India being funded by the Offices of the Development Commissioners (Handlooms & Handicrafts) under the Craft Cluster Initiative of the NHDP programme.

The repository is envisioned as a digital knowledge platform bringing together a huge community of learners by providing them content through a national and global networked infrastructure. Its vision is to offer rapid and open access to relevant data in the field of traditional and contemporary textiles and crafts. It is envisaged to become state-of-the-art digital ecosystem architecture that can play a transformative role in preserving and promoting the Indian textiles and crafts worldwide and facilitate scholarly communication.

The repository developed using state-of-the-art digital ecosystem architecture, will not only play a transformative role in preserving and promoting the Indian textiles and crafts worldwide but will also serve as a reservoir of knowledge for academicians, students, scholars, designers, artisans, art enthusiasts, and the public.

As a part of the 9th National Handloom Day celebrations on 7th August 2023 held at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, Delhi, the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Shri. Narendra Modi has launched the National Knowledge Portal "The Repository - Indian Textiles and Crafts". The inauguration ceremony was graced by the presence of Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Textiles, Shri Narayan Tatu Rane; Hon’ble Minister of State for Textiles and Railways and Smt. Darshana Jardosh, Hon’ble Minister of State for Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Smt. Rachana Shah, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Shri Rohit Kansal, Additional Secretary and Director General, NIFT.

Vastrashilpakosh.in (Bharatiya Vastra Shilpa Kosh) is a national knowledge portal dedicated to the digital preservation, aggregation, and dissemination of information on India's traditional textiles and crafts. It serves as a comprehensive repository for researchers, artisans, educators, and enthusiasts. Below are five key use cases:

1. Academic Research on Textile Heritage

2. Inspiration for Fashion and Textile Designers

3. Educational Resource for Students and Teachers

4. Cultural Preservation and Documentation

5. Promotion of Sustainable Tourism and Crafts

• Search and Retrieval of Textiles and Crafts
• Advanced Search
• Craft Documentation Report
• Craft Profiles
• Craft Atlas
• 3D Virtual Gallery of Textiles and Crafts
• Cultural Artefacts
• Research and Publications
• Audio Visual and Other Materials
• News Clippings
• Upcoming and Past Events

Human-Centred Design & Computing Group

C-DAC, 5th Floor, Innovation Park, Panchavati, Pashan, Pune - 411 008

Phone : 020-25503175, Email: digitalpreservation[at]cdac[dot]in