Inaugurates exhibition ‘Between Wind and Wool: Ladakh Design Today’ at Pragati Maidan
STATE TIMES NEWS
NEW DELHI: The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, on Saturday inaugurated the exhibition “Between Wind and Wool: Ladakh Design Today” at the Innovation Gallery, National Crafts Museum & Hastakala Academy, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The exhibition is being showcased as part of the Innovation Gallery housed within Textile Gallery II: Tradition & Innovation, a platform dedicated to contemporary interpretations of India’s rich craft traditions.
The exhibition explores how Ladakh’s high-altitude geography, harsh climatic conditions, and pastoral way of life have shaped its unique wool and Pashmina heritage. It highlights the manner in which contemporary designers reinterpret age-old practices such as spinning, weaving, resist-dyeing, and traditional garment construction into modern forms and silhouettes, while remaining dee.ply rooted in Ladakh’s cultural memory and identity.
Featuring works by leading Ladakhi designers including 2112 Saldon; Jigmat Norbu and Jigmat Wangmo (Jigmat Couture); Padma Yangchan (Namza Couture); and Zilzom by Stanzin Palmo, the exhibition presents a diverse range of creative expressions. The displays include sculptural installations, ceremonial garments, ritual objects, and handwoven wool and Pashmina ensembles, reflecting Ladakh’s spiritual, environmental, and material connections.
A strong visual dimension has been added through landscape portraits by Gautam Kalra (Creative Direction & Styling) and Hormis Anthony Tharakan (Visual Direction & Photography). These visuals situate Ladakhi garments against the region’s dramatic terrain, reinforcing the dialogue between land, climate, and design.
Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta said that such exhibitions play a vital role in preserving and revitalising traditional textiles while safeguarding Ladakh’s broader cultural heritage, including indigenous knowledge systems, rituals, craftsmanship, and community practices. He emphasized that showcasing living traditions on public platforms helps strengthen cultural pride and ensures their meaningful transmission to future generations.
The Lt Governor stressed the need for organizing more national and international exhibitions to promote Ladakh’s textile heritage, noting that such platforms create a vital interface between artisans, designers, and global markets, thereby enhancing livelihood opportunities and reinforcing Ladakh’s cultural identity.
Highlighting the theme of the exhibition, Gupta said it reflects Ladakh’s philosophy of balancing extreme climatic challenges with innovation and warmth derived from wool. He underscored the global significance of Ladakhi Pashmina, describing it as a rare natural gift of the Changthang region, produced under extreme sub-zero conditions. He added that protecting the purity and authenticity of Pashmina through GI tagging and traceability remains a top priority.
The Lt Governor also spoke about the Ladakh Administration’s initiatives in skill development, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern design, branding, and marketing to promote sustainable livelihoods. He said the exhibition aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Vocal for Local” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”.
The exhibition, curated by Sunil Sethi with support from the FDCI team, was attended by Guest of Honour Amrita Raj, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), and will remain open to the public till the end of March 2026.