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2.5 Million Rugmark Carpets Exported from India
Meeting of German Parliament Delegation with Mrs. Gandhi
Indian Carpets in Germany
Bavarian MP delegation at RUGMARK, India.
More Carpets, more schools.


2.5 MILLION RUGMARK CARPETS EXPORTED FROM INDIA

You might have heard of a red carpet welcome, but what if we carpet the whole way from the Indian carpet belt in Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Varanasi to the consumer places in Hamburg or Frankfurt? It seems little bit strange. But this can be possible by taking all the 2.5 million RUGMARK carpets exported from India till June 2002 to cover the way from India to Germany.

Germany, that is the largest importer of RM carpets from India, imported 193,348 of the total 363,843 RUGMARK labelled carpets in 2001-2002. Next came UK with an import of 149,788 carpets. This means Germany and UK alone account for more than 90% RM carpet exports from India.

Country-wise Breakup of RUGMARK carpets exported in 2001-2002

To give a further push and to locally promote the RM labelled carpets, the RUGMARK Foundation in India has decided to exhibit the carpets at Maharaja Arts in New Delhi. Initially, this will be done on experimental basis. Maharaja Arts displays a wide and exclusive range of over 20,000 exquisitely designed Oriental handknotted carpets in pure silk and blended New Zealand wool. It will be the first showroom to showcase the RM CARPETS. Their showroom is located near the historic Qutub Minar. Discussions for establishing other outlets are under way.

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MEETING OF GERMAN PARLIAMENT DELEGATION WITH MRS. GANDHI

Mrs. Maneka Gandhi, Chairperson of the RUGMARK Foundation-India and Union Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation, welcomed a delegation from the German Parliament's (Bundestag) Standing Committee for Economic Co-operation and Development. The delegation was introduced by the German Ambassador, H. E. Heimo Richter.

The meeting took place on 4th April 2002 at Mrs. Gandhi's office in New Delhi. Dr. Norbert Blm, Chairman of the RUGMARK International was a part of the delegation headed by Mrs. Adelheid Trscher from the Social Democratic Party of Germany. Dr. Blm is the former German Federal Minister of Labour and has been a Member of Parliament since 1972. He was visiting India for the third time and has been one of the driving forces behind the RUGMARK initiative to prevent children from weaving rugs and carpets as cheap labourers.

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INDIAN CARPETS IN GERMANY

Exhibitions and displays about India and Indian handicrafts are not something new to Germany. But one of the leading German Carpet importers organizing an India show is different. The show is planned to take place in early autumn in Bremen and Kapten Kirchen near Hamburg in one of the biggest German furniture houses. Theo Keller GmbH - a highly reputed carpet importer in Germany - is organising the display. This was the reason, why Fred Keller, head of Theo Keller company and Mario Severin came to India to select exhibits from the carpet and handicraft sector.

RUGMARK Records If sales go on as planned RUGMARK India will export the carpet with production number 2.5 million in June. Together with the exports from Nepal at the same time the 3 million marks will be reached. This means that the whole way from the Indian carpet manufacturing centres in Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Varanasi to the consumer places in Hamburg or Frankfurt could be covered with RUGMARK carpets.

IGEP co-ordinated the visit to various companies. With Dr. Kebschull they discussed the prevailing market conditions in the carpet sector and possibilities of successful promotion. It was decided to take up new and aggressive initiative to market the Indian hand-knotted and hand-tufted carpets in Germany. To present a range of new unconventional designs Fred Keller will also show the Sandy Starkman floral collection. These twenty designs of tufted carpets were created by the famous Indian based American designer for RUGMARK and the NGO People for Animals. The production was made by Maheshi Ohri in Bhadohi. They will be shown at the same time in New York. It is planned that leading representatives from RUGMARK will be present at the exhibitions in Germany.

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BAVARIAN MP DELEGATION AT RUGMARK

The RUGMARK Foundation India welcomed a delegation of about 14 Members of Parliament from the State of Bavaria, Germany on 26 March 2001. The group was led by Dr. Dorle Baumann from Munich. Together with Detlev Bruse, First Secretary, Social and Labour Affairs at the German Embassy, the group went to the small foundation office in Janakpuri where they were received by RUGMARK's Executive Director, B. L. Chadha. He briefed the guests, who showed keen interest in the labelling initiative and the social welfare activities about procedures and achievements. Dr. Kebschull, Director and Mrs. Sharda Subramaniam, Assistant Director from IGEP explained the history of the project and the need to keep up the carpet market, which otherwise would have been totally boycotted. They also informed visitors about the strong support from the industry and the government, particularly in Germany.

In an intensive discussion and question-answer session the delegation members expressed their willingness to further support the scheme and promised to make positive PR for these carpets back home. "If a little effort from our side can help in improving the lives of children, we will not hesitate to come forward," said Mrs. Baumann.

As a memento all visitors got small RUGMARK gifts. Most of them promised to come back as soon as possible.

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MORE CARPETS, MORE SCHOOLS

20^th March was a hot day in the Ganges plains of Uttar Pradesh (UP). But 150 school children, their parents and their teachers in the village of Vijaypur near Mirzapur patiently endured the heat. Excited and with pleasure they waited for the inauguration of "their" RUGMARK school. Punctually at 12 o' clock the ribbon was cut by Ram Chandra Maurya, RUGMARK Director and Member of Legislative Assembly (Mirzapur, UP). Dr. Kebschull as chief guest unveiled the plaque. They were joined in the ceremony by Deputy Labour Commissioner Mr. A.K. Rai and Mr. B. L. Chadha, Executive Director, RUGMARK India.

With the school at Vijaypur, RUGMARK now is running five primary schools and a Balashrya (rehabilitation centre) with nearly 1200 children. They all are officially acknowledged by the Indian authorities. The positive acceptance of these learning facilities has been overwhelming. The bare existence of schools also motivates adults to start learning reading and writing. "It is most encouraging to see these developments", says a teacher. "If their children become literate, the parents do not want to stay behind". So all schools have now established adult learning facilities.

RUGMARK has slowly but steadily become an important tool for the marketing and export of carpets. Under the leadership of Mrs. Maneka Gandhi, former Union Minister, the Indian initiative has developed substantially despite the fact that the carpet market is more or less saturated. Through increasing supplies from China, Nepal, Iran, Afghanistan and the former Asian Soviet Republic, competition has dramatically increased.

Against this background the sales of RUGMARK carpets from India during the last year are a great achievement. "But we cannot rest on our laurels", says Executive Director B. L. Chadha. "There are still many niches and untapped potential in Europe and particularly in North America". He and his team will go on to sell more and so to be able to do more for the weavers and their children.

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