“aadhar’s Heritage festival I consider as a an attempt to preserve our past and make future better with lost knowledge, by making it available in form of films and preserving them, making a data bank in this computer age. So this can be an inspiration for generation to come. Kudos to “aadhar’s team.”

Hridaynath Gharekhan, a film maker based in Ahmedabad has been producing and directing films for the last twenty years. A man of many achievements, he has won a national award in 1988, And his film ‘Talking Peace’ on the history of hostile relations between India and Pakistan was screened at the World Peace Conference, Montreal, Canada in September 1999. Three of his films were selected in IDPA film festivals – ‘The Catch in 2005, ‘The King of Deserts’ in 2008 and ‘Window to Gujarat’ in 2010. Hridaynath Ghanekar still continues to capture and allure the audience with his genius and the numbers on his 20 serials, 4 Hindi films and 172 documentaries continue to increase and stack on one another.

“aadhar should be congratulated for their initiative to encourage and celebrate good films and videos on the craft traditions and craftsmanship. Their plans to screen these films will be an important step in informing and sensitizing people and encourage the next generation of craftsmen and women to see their ancestral skills with a new hope and relevance.”

Aditi Ranjan is a weaver, textile designer and has been a design teacher from the National Institute of Design since 1974. She is a co-editor of “Hand made in India” – an encyclopedia on the handicrafts of India. In August 2009, she wrote scripts for 3 short documentaries on three crafts – Votive Terracotta of Rajasthan, Lacquered Turned Wood furniture of Sanskheda in Gujarat and Double Silk Ikat Textile of Patan, Gujarat. These three fabrics went on to be India’s nominations to UNESCO for safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage of India.

“for me “aadhar is a humble institution that started its activity, simple and pure into its form, which is a very modest way to bring awareness of crafts and the artisan fraternity. “aadhar got a very overwhelming response of film entries in its first attempt”

Villoo Mirza, a craft activist who has made significant contribution in the field of craft and design nationally and internationally. She has served as a Director at National Institute of Fashion Technology, Gandhinagar. She was also the Chief Designer and Production Coordinator with State Government Corporation, Govt. of Gujarat in Textiles and Handicraft sector. She is a professional consultant at SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre. She is co-editor of ‘Handloom and Handicrafts of Gujarat,’ and organiser of the Parzor project— the Preservation of Culture and Heritage of the Parsi Zoroastrians. She continues to serve various prestigious institutions in and around the state as the board member.