Suri’s Tripti Mukherjee Receives Padma Shri For Reviving Kantha Embroidery, Empowering Thousands Of Women
What began as a passion for creating intricate designs with needle and thread gradually evolved into her profession and life’s mission.
Published : January 28, 2026 at 3:55 PM IST
Suri: Tripti Mukherjee of Suri has been conferred the prestigious Padma Shri award for taking India’s traditional Kantha embroidery to the global stage and empowering thousands of women through the art form. Over the past three decades, she has helped at least 20,000 women achieve financial independence by training them in Kantha stitching.
A resident of Subhashpalli in Suri, Mukherjee learned Kantha embroidery from her mother during childhood. What began as a passion for creating intricate designs with needle and thread gradually evolved into her profession and life’s mission. “Empowering women through art has always been my goal,” she said.
Invited by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, Mukherjee has conducted numerous exhibitions and workshops across the country and abroad. From Birmingham in the UK to Japan, she has represented India through her exhibitions and training programmes to spread awareness about Kantha embroidery and its cultural significance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier visited her exhibition in Delhi and interacted with her about the nuances of Kantha stitching. Mukherjee’s work often depicts iconic figures such as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Mahatma Gandhi, and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, along with themes like the Ram Setu, Samudra Manthan (the churning of the ocean), and the everyday beauty of rural Bengal.
Mukherjee will receive the Padma Shri from President Droupadi Murmu for her outstanding contribution to preserving and enriching Kantha embroidery. She had earlier received the National Award in 2010 and the ‘Shilpaguru’ (Master Craftsman) honour in 2016 from then President Pranab Mukherjee.
It was on January 25 this year when she received a phone call saying that she would be conferred with the highest civilian award of the country. “I received a phone call about the award on the night of January 25. I was overwhelmed with happiness. Kantha stitch is not just an art form for me; it is also a means of livelihood. Many women have become self-reliant through this art, and I want to spread it even further,” she recalled.
Earlier in 2024, Tagdira Begum of Bolpur in Birbhum district was also awarded the Padma Shri for promoting Kantha embroidery.
What is Kantha Stitch or Nakshi Kantha?
Nakshi Kantha is a traditional quilt made by embroidering intricate motifs on layers of ordinary cloth. It is an integral part of Bengali folk art and culture. Traditionally, threads were sourced from the borders of old garments or dyed in colours such as blue, red, and yellow. After stitching the base quilt, elaborate designs were embroidered on it. Today, Nakshi Kantha continues to gain national and international recognition, bringing honour to Bengal’s artisans and keeping a centuries-old tradition alive.
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