Meet Namita Namdev: A Tetwali, Maharashtra Native Who Led a Team of Seven And Shined At The G20 With Bamboo Stick Craftsmanship

During my recent visit to Tetwali, a small village nestled in the Vikramgad Taluka, Maharashtra, I met Namita Namdev, a bamboo stick artist, a farmer and homemaker in her late 30s. She came across as a shining example of someone who dons every role with utmost ease.

As I stepped into the workshop, I saw a group of women speedily working with a bunch of bamboo sticks, turning them into beautiful, useful pieces of art. Namdev stood out, completely engrossed in creating bamboo stick art pieces with that wide smile. Moments later she switched to guiding her co-artists while her hands created magic with bamboo sticks.

From Tetwali to the G20 Summit: Namita Namdev's Inspiring Journey

“It felt like we were on the sets of some film, we were seeing Ministers like Nitin Gadkari, Rajnath Singh, their houses. We were nervous since we were there for the first time. We couldn’t contain our excitement, we got to see things we always saw on television and couldn’t believe it was happening for real. We went to museums as well and the experience was like no other,” said Namita Namdev on her experience at the G20 Summit in Delhi.

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G20 Leaders Pledge Support for Bamboo Artistry

"At the G20 Summit, leaders from across the globe wished us luck for the future and promised that they will promote their bamboo artistry and support them in whatever way they can,” she added.

I happened to meet Namita Namdev during the International Ganesh Festival 2023. Interestingly, my visit to Tetwali was specifically planned by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) after the group of women got an overwhelming response by global leaders at the G20 Summit.

Being at G20 gave Namita and her team hope that their artwork could turn into a brand that the world knows about. Their visit to the G20 Summit in Delhi added to the motivation, following which the women have been working harder in creating the finest art bamboo pieces.

“We women together work to create bamboo art pieces, it is total hand work. About 50 of us women get together every day to work here and a total of 625 women across villages in Maharashtra are bamboo stick artists. It takes about 2-3 days to make one piece, after we prepare it, it is dried and then sent to NGOs for sale in other states. Local customers come in too to buy our stuff for resale.”

“I and my group of women complete our household work, go for our everyday rice farming, and then come here to the workshop where we work with bamboo sticks,” said Namita Namdev about the dedication put into bamboo artistry every day.

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It isn’t easy for a group of women from a small village Tetwali to come together and turn their skill into trade. Another member of their village made them realise their potential and gave them hope for a brighter future. Speaking of their driving force, “Our leader Gaurav Srivastava taught us to work with bamboo and create art. He was our guiding light all through, he made us understand that if we women have this artwork as an opportunity to earn a livelihood, and with this, we won’t even have to go far from our homes to earn money."

Namita Namdev, with an eight-hour shift, earns a daily income ranging from ₹250 to ₹300, which amounts to approximately ₹9,000 per month. Going ahead, Namita is determined to work even harder, aspiring to make her community proud through her bamboo craftsmanship.

Namita's passion for her craft made her a true inspiration and as I stepped out of the workshop, I asked if I could take a little dose of her dedication back home and she grinned at me. Namita’s unwavering commitment to her art did change me a little forever! Tell us what did you like about Namita’s journey to G20 on our social media handles for more such inspiring stories, stay tuned!