Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday, 28 May 2026, visited artisans of Mogto village in Tawang district and expressed admiration for their centuries-old tradition of handmade paper-making, calling for efforts to revive and sustain such heritage crafts for future generations.

Context

Mogto village, nestled in the remote reaches of Tawang district in northern Arunachal Pradesh, is home to Monpa artisans who have long produced handmade paper from local plant fibres using methods passed down over generations. The craft is closely tied to the Buddhist manuscript and cultural traditions of the Monpa community, which also gave the world the famed Tawang Monastery — one of the largest Buddhist monasteries in Asia, dating to the 17th century. CM Khandu said he was 'inspired by the artisans of Mogto village who continue to preserve the age-old tradition of handmade paper.'

He specifically appreciated the efforts of the Traditional Paper Handicraft and Marketing Society, Mogto, for what he described as their 'vision to modernise and market this unique heritage craft.' The Society is a local body focused on sustaining and commercialising the region's historic paper-making tradition.

Policy Backdrop

Arunachal Pradesh has supported handicraft clusters and geographical indication (GI) tagging of local products under state cultural and tourism policies since the early 2000s. The broader approach across the Northeast combines cultural documentation, modest technology upgrades, and market access for traditional products in remote border districts. Similar messaging has accompanied efforts to revive paper, textile, and cane crafts across Monpa, Nyishi, and other tribal communities in the state.

CM Khandu, who has been in office since 2016 and is a senior BJP leader, has consistently highlighted cultural preservation alongside infrastructure development as twin pillars of governance in the frontier state. His acknowledgement of the Mogto initiative fits a pattern of state leaders spotlighting village-level craft enterprises to link heritage preservation with livelihood generation and tourism.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of any sustained push are the Monpa artisan families of Mogto and surrounding areas in Tawang district, for whom handmade paper-making represents both a livelihood and a cultural identity. A successful modernisation and marketing effort could expand commercial reach beyond local buyers to national handicraft markets and international Buddhist cultural circuits. Tawang's strategic location on the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction also gives its cultural products a distinct geopolitical and tourism dimension that state planners have sought to leverage.

Broader stakeholders include the state's tourism and cultural departments, which stand to benefit from weaving the Mogto paper craft into heritage tourism itineraries, as well as central government schemes that support tribal artisan clusters across India.

What's Next

Observers will watch for concrete follow-up measures, including potential GI registration for Mogto handmade paper, inclusion of the craft in Arunachal Pradesh's tourism circuits, and marketing linkages with national handicraft bodies. Any mention of the initiative in the next assembly session or in the state's cultural festival calendar would signal deeper institutional commitment. CM Khandu stated that 'such initiatives will help revive and sustain our rich traditional handicrafts for future generations,' underscoring the government's framing of the craft as both a heritage asset and a development opportunity.