Srinagar, Oct. 2 -- Craft in Kashmir has never been mere livelihood. It is continuity, a living thread spun across generations that binds pastoralists of the high Himalayas to the workshops of Srinagar. Pashmina, the Valley's most celebrated textile, is not simply fibre and loom; it is identity, memory, and survival. Recognition of artisans is more than ceremonial; it is a reminder that heritage endures only when those who sustain it are given dignity, security, and visibility. Each authentic shawl that leaves the Valley carries the endurance of a people and the spirit of a tradition that has withstood disruption yet remains intact.

For centuries, women have been the silent custodians of this craft and their hands refine the ultra-fine f...