National award winners in the fields of gem stone painting, wood inlay work, making handicrafts from sikki grass and shawl weavers from Benaras are showcasing their exquisite collection in an exposition, ‘Celebrating the Master Craftsmen’, at CII here.Their art is a tribute to craftsmen for preserving the treasure of skill and expertise and the rich tapestry of Indian handicraft despite all odds. The exposition is not only a visual treat but also a window to the centuries of culture and tradition. Many of these craftsmen at the exposition are already nationally and internationally acknowledged for their genius.Mr Amit Dhawan from Delhi does inlay work on wood, and is a sixth generation into this unique bone inlay furniture and accessories. Honoured with the UNESCO Award for young craftsmen, Amit says that the CII exposition is giving them a platform to showcase this rare art to public.Maqbool Hasan at ‘Resham India’ ,too, is showcasing his award winning jamawar shawls, besides yards of intricately woven silk stoles and saris. The hand-woven shawls with embroidered floral motifs and colours schemes are perfect pieces of art. Using the traditional weaving techniques, Maqbool and his team of weavers have perfected the art, and shown that jamavar shawls are not just the prerogative of Kashmiri weavers. The stall by Meera Thakur displaying utilitarian items made from sikki grass from Bihar is a picture of vibrant colours.Another stall of ‘gems handicrafts’ displaying unique pieces intricately studded with gems, is also a visual treat. Mr Sunish M. Maru, who has been awarded by the President of India for pioneering this handicraft, too seemed visibly happy with the response. “People here understand and appreciate our art, which is very satisfying,” he said.Besides celebrating the excellence of these master craftsmen, another objective of CII is to promote, encourage and showcase the craftsmanship of those who are less privileged. To fulfill this commitment to society, the exposition has live demos of furniture caning and basket waving by children from the Institute for the Blind, Sector 26, Chandigarh, which were appreciated by one and all.