As part of its Government Alliance and Policy Advocacy initiatives, FLO Amritsar undertook three strategic engagements focused on Punjab’s heritage, tourism, artisan economy, and cultural development. The first engagement brought Tannya Khanna, Chairperson, FICCI FLO Amritsar, and Ashna Kedia, Treasurer, into discussions with S. Tarunpreet Singh Sond Ji, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism & Cultural Affairs, Punjab, and S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian Ji, Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Punjab.
The discussions centred on strengthening Amritsar’s creative economy by connecting tourism with the revival of traditional artisan communities and visual arts. FLO Amritsar also presented its strategic roadmap for the World-Class City initiative, outlining its vision for Amritsar’s cultural, tourism and economic development.
The second engagement involved Tannya Khanna and Himani Arora, Past Chairperson, FICCI FLO Amritsar, who met Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Ji, Hon’ble Union Minister for Culture & Tourism, Government of India. The interaction focused on the revival and promotion of Punjab’s traditional handloom, handicraft and textile arts. The discussion also highlighted FLO Amritsar’s efforts towards empowering rural artisans and creating sustainable, tourism-linked pathways for traditional craft practices.
The third engagement included a visit to the Punjab & Haryana Vidhan Sabha, providing the delegation an opportunity to experience the historic Assembly Houses and their architectural and heritage significance associated with Le Corbusier. Together, these engagements reinforced the importance of connecting heritage, tourism, visual arts and artisan livelihoods to strengthen Punjab’s creative economy.
They also created opportunities for continued collaboration with government stakeholders on heritage conservation, artisan development, tourism and cultural preservation. The initiative reflected FICCI FLO Amritsar’s commitment to building strategic public partnerships and translating its vision for a culturally rich, economically vibrant and sustainable Amritsar into meaningful future projects.
Key Takeaways
- FICCI FLO Amritsar undertook a series of strategic government consultations focused on strengthening Punjab’s cultural and economic landscape through tourism, heritage, traditional crafts and the creative economy.
- Discussions with S. Tarunpreet Singh Sond Ji, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism & Cultural Affairs, Punjab, and S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian Ji, Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Punjab, centred on strengthening Amritsar’s creative economy by connecting tourism with the revival of traditional artisan communities and visual arts.
- FLO Amritsar presented its strategic roadmap for the World-Class City initiative, outlining a broader vision for Amritsar’s cultural, tourism and economic development.
- A separate strategic interaction with Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Ji, Hon’ble Union Minister for Culture & Tourism, Government of India, focused on the revival and promotion of Punjab’s traditional handloom, handicraft and textile arts.
- The Union Minister expressed interest in FLO Amritsar’s efforts to empower rural artisans and create sustainable, tourism-linked pathways for traditional craft practices.
- The consultations reinforced the importance of connecting heritage, tourism, visual arts and artisan livelihoods to create a stronger creative economy for Punjab.
- As part of the engagement, the FLO delegation visited the Punjab & Haryana Vidhan Sabha, gaining an opportunity to experience its historic Assembly Houses, an iconic heritage landmark associated with Le Corbusier’s architectural legacy.
- The engagements strengthened FLO Amritsar’s Government Alliance and Policy & Advocacy efforts, creating opportunities for future collaboration on heritage, tourism, artisan development and cultural preservation.
Impact & Outcome
Around 3 FLO representatives, 3 senior government leaders, and other beneficiaries, traditional artisans, craft communities, women entrepreneurs, visual artists, tourism stakeholders, and the wider community participated in the three strategic engagements. The initiative strengthened FICCI FLO Amritsar’s Government Alliance and Policy Advocacy efforts by engaging with senior state and national government leaders on the cultural, tourism and economic development of Punjab.
The consultations created a strategic framework for positioning Amritsar’s rich heritage, traditional crafts and creative economy as important drivers of sustainable regional growth. The initiative also sought to explore how visual arts, heritage and traditional crafts could contribute to Amritsar’s wider creative economy.