CM Dhami Hails House of Himalayas for Empowering Women Artisans
Synopsis
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on 22 July 2026 praised the state-backed House of Himalayas brand, saying it has given women artisans global recognition and is driving fresh momentum in the local economy through their handcrafted products.
Key Takeaways
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami publicly credited the House of Himalayas brand with elevating the skills of Uttarakhand's women artisans on 22 July 2026 .
House of Himalayas is a Uttarakhand government-backed brand marketing handicrafts, herbs, and textiles made by women self-help groups.
The brand is positioned to give local artisanal products both domestic and global market visibility, addressing limited formal employment in hill districts.
The initiative builds on the National Rural Livelihood Mission (2011) framework of SHG support, skill training, and market linkage in Uttarakhand .
Women artisans and rural SHGs across Uttarakhand's hill districts are the primary beneficiaries of the scheme.
Future steps may include participation in international buyer-seller meets and state budget allocations to scale production clusters.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, lauded the House of Himalayas brand for giving women artisans of the state a global platform, saying their handcrafted products are now earning international recognition while simultaneously energising the local economy.
Posting on X, Chief Minister Dhami wrote: 'हाउस ऑफ हिमालयाज ब्रांड ने मातृशक्ति के हुनर को नई उड़ान दी है।' ('The House of Himalayas brand has given new wings to the skill of women power.') He added that products prepared by these women are now gaining global recognition and the local economy is receiving fresh momentum.
Context
House of Himalayas is a Uttarakhand government-backed brand created to market handicrafts, herbs, and textiles produced by women artisans and rural self-help groups (SHGs). The initiative aims to bridge the gap between skilled mountain craftswomen and wider domestic and export markets. Chief Minister Dhami, who has been in office since 2021, has made women-led entrepreneurship and state branding a visible pillar of his administration.
Policy Backdrop
The brand draws on a long lineage of rural livelihood support in Uttarakhand. The National Rural Livelihood Mission (2011) scaled up backing for women SHGs across the state, focusing on value addition, skill training, credit access, and market linkages for micro-enterprises. Uttarakhand's economy, which rests significantly on tourism, horticulture, and cottage industries, has seen successive governments attempt to formalise and brand artisanal output to address out-migration and limited formal employment in hill districts.
Across India, hill states have increasingly created regional brands to give GI-tagged and artisanal products visibility at home and abroad. House of Himalayas fits squarely within this national pattern, combining women's economic empowerment with tourism-linked value chains to create sustainable livelihoods at the grassroots level.
Stakeholders and Impact
The primary beneficiaries of House of Himalayas are women artisans and members of rural SHGs spread across Uttarakhand's hill districts. For these communities, the brand offers not just a market outlet but also a formal identity for their craftsmanship, helping them move beyond subsistence-level production. The broader local economy benefits through increased income circulation, reduced dependency on seasonal tourism, and the potential for consistent export-linked demand.
Chief Minister Dhami's public endorsement on social media signals continued political commitment to the initiative, which could translate into further budgetary and logistical support for expanding production clusters and reaching new buyer networks.
What's Next
Observers will watch for House of Himalayas' participation in national and international buyer-seller meets, as well as any announcements in upcoming state budget sessions on scaling artisan clusters or expanding the brand's retail and e-commerce footprint. If the state follows through on the global recognition narrative highlighted by CM Dhami, formal export tie-ups or partnerships with central government schemes for artisan promotion could be the next logical step.
Point of View
A state where out-migration from hill districts remains a structural challenge. By anchoring the narrative to a branded state initiative rather than a generic welfare scheme, the BJP government is attempting to demonstrate tangible, market-linked outcomes from its rural livelihood investments. The emphasis on 'global recognition' also serves a dual purpose: validating the initiative domestically while signalling ambition for export-oriented artisan clusters. This fits a broader pattern among BJP-governed hill states of using regional branding as both economic policy and political messaging ahead of electoral cycles.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is House of Himalayas?
House of Himalayas is a Uttarakhand government-backed brand that markets handicrafts, herbs, and textiles produced by women artisans and rural self-help groups, aiming to connect them with domestic and global markets.
What did CM Dhami say about House of Himalayas?
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said on 22 July 2026 that the House of Himalayas brand has given new wings to the skills of women artisans and that their products are now gaining global recognition while boosting the local economy.
Who benefits from the House of Himalayas scheme?
Women artisans and members of rural self-help groups (SHGs) across Uttarakhand's hill districts are the primary beneficiaries, gaining formal market access and income opportunities through the brand.
How does House of Himalayas relate to central government schemes?
The initiative builds on the framework of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (2011) , which supported women SHGs in Uttarakhand through skill training, credit access, and market linkages for micro-enterprises.
What is the economic significance of House of Himalayas for Uttarakhand?
Uttarakhand's economy depends heavily on tourism, horticulture, and cottage industries. House of Himalayas helps diversify income for hill communities, reduce dependence on seasonal tourism, and create export-linked demand for local artisanal products.
