Ram Kishore Chippa, Padma Shri awardee and master artisan of Dabu hand block printing from Bagru, Rajasthan.

In the small town of Bagru, approximately 32 kilometres from Jaipur, the ancient craft of Dabu hand block printing has been practised for over four hundred years. The mud-resist method, slow drying, natural dyes, and long hours in the sun have all been passed down through the Chhipa community with discipline.

Among the people who have given their lives to this work, Ram Kishore Chhipa (also referred to as Ram Kishore Derawala) is one of its most recognised craftsmen. At TuDuGu, we work closely with artisans like him, who remind us why craft matters.

A Padma Shri and National Award recipient, his story is not a rosy journey. It carries the weight of beauty, struggle, and the persistence of an artisan who simply refuses to let a craft fade away with time.

Quick Facts

A Little Glimpse of the Roots

Born into the fifth generation of block printers, Ram Kishore carries a four-century-old legacy on his shoulders. He was born on July 20, 1957, in Bagru, a place where printing is not an industry, but a habit.

His father, Shri Gulab Chand Ji Chhipa, trained him in the Dabu technique. The lessons were not only about mixing mud or pressing blocks. He also acquired knowledge about the philosophy behind every motif, colour, and impression on cloth..

The Chipa community has kept Bagru’s identity alive for generations. Their name originates from the Gujarati word “chhapa,” which means “to print.” Their craft uses a thick mud paste made with black clay, acacia gum, spoiled wheat flour, limestone, and cow dung. The paste is applied by hand before the fabric is dyed.

When the mud flakes off, a pale pattern surfaces - simple, imperfect, and unmistakably Bagru.

From Cradle to Craft

A moment of national recognition: Ram Kishore Chhipa receiving the Padma Shri from the President of India, 2009. (Source: Craft Maestros)

Ram Kishore's journey with this ancient craft began in childhood, watching his father and grandfather work their magic on plain cotton.

The workshop was his playground, the smell of indigo his familiar comfort, the rhythmic thump of wooden blocks on fabric his lullaby.  He didn’t grow up learning block printing. He grew up living inside it.

In the 1970s, when the art of Dabu hand printing was nearing extinction, Ram Kishore dedicated himself to its revival.

While many artisans were abandoning traditional crafts for more stable employment, he saw something worth fighting for. He began training young people in the technique, ensuring the continuation of this traditional craft. His 35 years of official experience barely hint at the lifetime of practice behind it.

Padma Shri certificate, 2009: A nation's recognition of a craftsman's devotion. (Source: Handmade in Rajasthan)

He received the National Award in 1987, followed by the Padma Shri in 2009. His motifs became well-known for their simplicity and grace, rooted in the past but gentle enough for contemporary tastes. Through his work, he has supported nearly 8,000 people, directly and indirectly. 

Weaving Through Modern Challenges

But his path has not been smooth. The 1980s brought a boom in exports, and Bagru’s artisans thrived. Recent years, however, have been far from easy.

Where once about 500 families engaged in block printing, the numbers are shrinking. The fluctuation in orders affects the work and earnings of artisans.

Women, too, have been affected. Block printing allowed many to work from home and earn a steady income. Today, as demand slows, so do those opportunities.

Other countries, such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Turkey, are quick to fill the gap in foreign markets. What India once exported with pride is now competing with cheaper alternatives. The threat is not only to livelihoods but to a tradition that has shaped Bagru’s identity for centuries.

Domestic sales keep the craft afloat, but it is not enough to secure the future of hundreds of families who depend on it. This is why we at TuDuGu work directly with artisans. We intend to create sustainable opportunities that celebrate their craft and support their communities.

The Art That Refuses to Die

Despite these challenges, Ram Kishore continues. He refuses to compromise with this legacy and originality, even when the market demands shortcuts.

His workshop in Bagru remains a place of vibrant activity. Fabrics in various stages of completion are spread across the ground, hung from rooftops, and left to dry. Shelves hold wooden blocks, some carved long ago, some new, each one a fragment of memory.

The Rajasthan Forum’s Diwali Milan, bringing together the state’s distinguished artists and achievers. (Source: @rajasthanforum)

He speaks openly about how the craft has changed. 

Earlier, artisans worked with a small palette of colours like indigo, maroon, and yellow, used mainly for women’s lehengas. Now there are more fabrics, more palettes, more experiments with vegetable dyes. The craft has expanded, but its heart is still the same.

Dreams for Tomorrow

Ram Kishore Chhipa, Padma Shri awardee, continuing the tradition of natural dye block printing in Bagru. (Source: The Hindu)

Ram Kishore sees his work as an endless path. Not a beginning, not an end, just a long walk he must keep taking. He dreams of a world where young people see value in traditional crafts, where being an artisan is not a fallback option but a proud choice.

He wants government support for exports, not only for the foreign exchange it would bring, but also for the jobs it would create, the families it would sustain, the culture it would preserve.

There was once talk of a museum dedicated to Bagru printing, housed perhaps in the old Bagru Fort. While that dream hasn't materialised yet, Ram Kishore continues to be a living archive of this craft.

Every textile that leaves his workshop carries within it centuries of accumulated knowledge, the patience of generations, and the hope that somewhere, someone will see not just a beautiful piece of fabric but a  proof of  human creativity and perseverance.

We believe in carrying that hope forward. Every piece we bring to you at TuDuGu is a thread in this larger story, the kind that connects the past to the present and the artisan to the wearer.

Bibliography 

Craft Maestros (n.d.) Ram Kishore Chippa - Craftsman. Available at: https://www.craftmaestros.com/craftsman/master-artisan-ram-kishore-chippa.html (Accessed: 20 November 2025).

The Hindu (2016) 'Splashing colour naturally', 22 December. Available at: https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/Splashing-colour-naturally/article16894528.ece (Accessed: 20 November 2025).

LBB (2021) 'Go the Whole Nine Yards at Vastrabharana', Little Black Book, 5 August. Available at: https://lbb.in/bangalore/artisan-saree-exhibition-bangalore/ (Accessed: 20 November 2025).

Rajasthan Government (n.d.) Handmade in Rajasthan: Ram Kishore Chhipa. Available at: https://handmadeinrajasthan.rajasthan.gov.in/content/industries/handmadeinrajasthandepartment/mastercrafts/padmaawardees/list/ramkishorechhipa.html (Accessed: 20 November 2025).

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The Hans India (2020) 'Rajasthan's artisan community fades away', 18 January. Available at: https://www.thehansindia.com/hans/opinion/news-analysis/rajasthans-artisan-community-fades-away-598154 (Accessed: 20 November 2025).

The Luxury Chronicle (2019) 'Keepers of India's Luxury Heritage', 13 January. Available at: https://www.theluxurychronicle.com/artisan-speak-lalqila (Accessed: 20 November 2025).

The Sunday Guardian Live (2019) 'Veteran artisans honoured at special Red Fort event', 12 January. Available at: https://sundayguardianlive.com/lifestyle/veteran-artisans-honoured-special-red-fort-event (Accessed: 20 November 2025).

Wikipedia (2025) Ram Kishore Chhipa. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram_Kishore_Chhipa (Accessed: 20 November 2025).