Dhubri: A joint meeting of Asharikandi Terracotta and Doll Making Samabay Samiti Ltd (Atdmssltd) and Necardo (North East Craft And Rural Development Organisation), held at the community hall of Asharikandi village on Wednesday, resolved to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Asharikandi terracotta cluster of villages.Modi had earlier mentioned the traditional terracotta and doll making of Asharikandi in Dhubri district in one of his “Man Ki Bat” programmes in August 2020 aired by All India Radio. Participants said the cluster has since been transforming into a vibrant hub of terracotta products. The meeting noted that a tableau of Asharikandi terracotta took part in the Republic Day parade in 2026, which it said helped bring focus to the village, followed by various activities including the awarding of a GI (Geographical Indication) tag in March 2024.The joint meeting entrusted Necardo director Binoy Bhattacharjee with inviting the Prime Minister to the village as per his convenience.The meeting also reviewed post-GI tag activities. A report tabled said out of a target of 500 registrations, 335 artisans have so far enrolled to follow the guidelines of Asharikandi-style terracotta making as codified in the GI tag. The meeting was attended by master craftsman Madhab Paul, Necardo coordinator Arnab Chakraborty and other registered artisans.
