Tamil Nadu's Porgai Collective Of Women Artisans A Tale Of Pride, Dignity

A farsighted and gutsy financial decision by a 60-strong community of backward women artisans in Tamil Nadu - Porgai Craft Centre - kept their families afloat during the coronavirus-necessitated nationwide lockdown. Tucked away in the Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu with poor mobile, internet connectivity and public transport, the women invested in raw material and spent months embroidering intricate designs on merchandise worth lakhs. They created an adorable rag doll "Covida" as a symbol of hope and did decent business through their website for many months till the fast consumer economy opened up.