KHAMIR Overview

In the aftermath of the 2001 earthquake, efforts to rebuild Kachchh fueled collaboration and turned local energy toward improving livelihoods.  KHAMIR was initiated in partnership by Kachchh Nav Nirman Abhiyan (KNNA) and the Nehru Foundation for Development (NFD) to support this local movement.  In 2003, KHAMIR began working to sustain local livelihoods and empower the creative industries in Kachchh, Gujarat. KHAMIR was registered as an organization in June 2005.

KHAMIR stands for Kachchh Heritage, Arts and Craft, Music and Integrated Resources. For centuries, animal husbandry, rain-fed agriculture, and craft have been Kachchh’s predominant livelihoods. Each is an integral part of the local culture and landscape.  In every Kachchhi home you will find a glimpse of the region’s vibrant heritage, rich craft and music traditions, and unique ecology as they are a source of local strength, identity, and pride.  Appropriately, khamir means “intrinsic pride” in Kachchhi, the region’s dialect. 

KHAMIR works to reposition craft and folk music in Kachchh and to revitalize Kachchh’s creative industries.

KHAMIR works with a long term, holistic, and proactive strategy to revitalize the creative industries in Kachchh as well as throughout India.  KHAMIR aims to empower craft artisans and folk musicians and to reposition craft and music in their lives. 

KHAMIR’s Objectives

• To revitalize, reposition, and promote the traditional crafts of Kachchh so they remain a viable and sustainable source of income for artisan communities.
• To provide a common roof where artisans and experts with a commitment to Kachchhi craft can exchange knowledge, build capacities, and ensure the best manifestation of regional art and craft.
• To promote the conservation of Kachchh’s natural and cultural heritage, traditional livelihoods, knowledge and practices, and music through education, training, demonstration, and interpretation.
• To collaborate with organizations and individuals in Kachchh’s development sector and integrate KHAMIR’s services and expertise to impact overall regional growth.
• To disseminate regional and craft-based knowledge, skills and information and to provide a forum where current realities and challenges can be discussed.

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