The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is organizing a 15-day Shilp Samagam Mela 2026 at Dilli Haat, INA in New Delhi from November 1 to November 15, 2026. The event will be formally inaugurated on November 2 by Dr Virendra Kumar, Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, with senior officials including Ms V. Vidyavathi (Secretary, DEPwD), Shri Prabhat Tyagi (CMD, NSFDC), and Shri Ashutosh Jain (CMD, NDFDC) in attendance.
Themed 'प्रकाश और परंपरा – ज्योति से ज्योति जलाएँ' (Light and Tradition - Lighting Lamp from Lamp), the mela celebrates India's traditional crafts, festive lighting, and cultural heritage through artisan products, live craft demonstrations, and cultural programmes. This marks the first collaborative organization between the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) and the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), featuring approximately 150 stalls under the Bharat TULIP and Purple Fest initiatives.
The mela is structured around seven thematic zones: कला आँगन for live craft demonstrations, प्रकाश चौक for lamps and lights, पूजा पथ for devotional products, सजावट बाज़ार for home décor, घराना for textiles and fashion, स्वाद चौक for food, and मंच for cultural activities and performances.
Bharat TULIP (Traditional Artisans' Upliftment Livelihood Programme) is an initiative aimed at marketing products made by aspirational groups to consumers in India and abroad through e-commerce platforms, supporting economic empowerment while preserving traditional arts and crafts. The Purple Fest is a multidimensional celebration of disability, creativity, talent, and equal participation that brings together persons with disabilities, organizations, institutions, businesses, artists, and professionals.
Since 2022, the Shilp Samagam Melas have benefited more than 1,000 artisans by providing them with platforms to showcase their creativity and traditional craftsmanship while creating marketing opportunities to wider audiences. The ministry seeks to provide greater visibility to traditional artisans and their products while encouraging wider public engagement with craftsmanship, creativity, and inclusive participation.