Jaipur Rugs’ Dhapha Devi and Kavita Chaudhary Honoured with the Prestigious “Design Innovation Award 2023” by the President of India

India — Jaipur Rugs is proud to announce that master artisan Dhapha Devi and Design Director Kavita Chaudhary have been jointly awarded the “Design Innovation Award 2023” by the President of India, Her Excellency Smt. Droupadi Murmu, at the National Handicrafts Awards ceremony.

Conferred by the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, this distinguished honour celebrates exceptional designer–artisan collaborations that bring together India’s rich craft heritage and contemporary design sensibilities.

The Design Innovation Award acknowledges co-created projects where artisans and designers develop new, market-relevant designs rooted in traditional craftsmanship. Unlike awards solely celebrating technical mastery, this honour recognizes creative innovation, commercial relevance, and the thoughtful integration of time-honoured craft skills with modern design needs.

The award includes a cash prize , a shawl, a certificate, and a tamrapatra for both the artisan and the designer. Eligible artisans must be Indian citizens aged 30 or above with a minimum of 10 years of experience in their craft.

Dhapha Devi, a master artisan from the Jaipur Rugs community, embodies the skill, intuition, and artistic depth of rural India, with over a decade of weaving excellence. Kavita Chaudhary, Design Director at Jaipur Rugs, continues to champion craft-led creativity through design thinking and empowerment initiatives such as Manchaha.

Speaking about the honour, Kavita Chaudhary said:
“This award is a testament to the limitless creativity that emerges when artisans are given freedom, trust, and collaboration. Working with Dhapha Devi has been a journey of shared imagination, where tradition becomes a canvas for new possibilities. To be recognised by the President of India is an unforgettable moment—not just for us, but for every artisan whose hands carry the stories of our culture.”

Their collaboration reflects the powerful link between tradition and innovation, reinforcing the future of Indian handicraft as both culturally rooted and globally relevant.

Being honoured directly by the President of India marks a significant moment for Jaipur Rugs. This recognition strengthens the brand’s mission to preserve traditional skills, uplift artisan communities, and promote design-forward craftsmanship on the world stage.

About Jaipur Rugs-

“Let goodness, fairness and, most importantly, love, prevail in business; profits will inevitably follow.” ~ N.K. Chaudhary

Jaipur Rugs is a family business strengthened by the purpose of protecting ancestral knowhow and connecting rural craftsmanship with global consumers. By placing the human aspect at its core, the company has grown to become the largest network of artisans in India. It uses the age-old art form of handmade carpets as a tool to bring prosperity into the homes over 40,000 rural artisans of which 90% are women. Founded in 1978 by Nand Kishore Chaudhary with just two looms, it now has over 7,000 looms and sells in over 90 countries. Today the company creates contemporary works of art by collaborating with creative talents capable of showcasing this ancestral craft with a new vision.