MANAGERIAL CHALLENGES OF HANDICRAFT INDUSTRY: AN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

India is one of the most important suppliers of various handicrafts to the world market. The Indian Handicraft industries play an important role in world in Handicraft sector. This is one of the oldest cultures and tradition of India which represent different traditional art, of the different part of country. The handicraft products have very wide market in the world due to its growing potential. The Indian handicrafts industry is highly labour intensive cottage based industry and decentralized, being spread all over the country in rural and urban areas. The industry provides employment to over six million artisans who include a large number of women and people belonging to the weaker sections of the society. The Handicrafts Sector plays a significant & important role in the country's economy. It provides employment to a vast segment of craft persons in rural & semi urban areas and generates substantial foreign exchange for the country, while preserving its cultural heritage. Handicrafts have great potential, as they hold the key for sustaining not only the existing set of millions of artisans spread over length and breadth of the country. But there are various issues associated with wide development of handicraft sector. The paper highlighted the problem and various issues associated with handicraft sector in India.