Sculptors from all over India displayed the boundary of stone, granite and marble utensils and sculptures on Shilpagram in the previous edition of the Stona Exhibition. , Photo Credit: Special Arrest
The country’s bi-annual International Stone Fair is ready to open its doors to the public in the second week of February, where Indian and international participants will showcase their unique products and works in natural stone.
Stona 2025, will witness a series of attractions hosted at the Bengaluru International Exhibition Center from 12 to 15 February, including live performances and work by prize winning sculptors across the country. On February 13, an interactive seminar on geology where “the use of technology for skilling and safe and durable mining” will be discussed by industry experts and policy makers.
The world’s third largest stone exhibition, four -day exhibition, will be spread over an area of 45,000 sqm after Italian and Chinese stone fairs, which will be displayed in five halls with an outsider for demonstrations.
Stona 2025 will host 500 exhibitors in the country and abroad, which will showcase their products and display the latest innovation in machinery, equipment and natural stone. It will include four international pavilions where 18 countries will participate.
Sculpture of sculpture
From the exhibition set to attract thousand visitors from the country and around the world, according to Madan Lal Jangid, President of Stona 2025, Madan Lal Jangid, apart from the performance of excellent stone sculptures of the National Award, expected to increase business business of 1,000 crores Is. Looking at sculptors across the country, there will be a special attraction, ‘Shilpagram’ that promotes the functions of rural artisans, showing their stone sculptures and artworks as well as offering live performances.
“Stona 2025 has allocated 25 stalls to rural artisans that will participate from across the country,” Jangid said.
The sculptor of India displayed the boundary of stone, granite and marble utensils and sculptures on Shilpagram in the previous edition of the Stona Exhibition. , Photo Credit: Special Arrest
Base for conversation
Krishna Prasad, president of the Indian Granite and Stone Industry (Figsi), said, “Stona 2025 is a fertile basis for hosting interaction between industry stakeholders, innovators and natural stone enthusiasts from all over the world.” “The exhibition also helps in showing India’s rich natural stone heritage and provides platform to connect, cooperate and grow businesses.”
Have to face challenges
While the Indian natural stone industry holds high rule in terms of its heritage and deep limits, the challenges for the industry are diverse and many, which requires immediate addresses. “The industry is facing many issues such as lack of raw materials, regulatory hurdles as well as unfair competition with artificial stones”, Prasad said.
“The industry requires a favorable environment to function and distribute and it calls to solve specific issues with the implementation of best practices to ensure a level playground.”
A nation, a mineral, a policy
Given the many challenges of the Indian natural stone industry, in this period, Figsi has been advocating for many years, major policy changes in which mining for 50 years with guaranteed renewal, rationality of royalty rates, lack of GST on GST Is included. Raw blocks and slabs. “What we want is reforms like ‘One Nation One Mineral Forest Policy’ that help the industry reach its full potential and contribute significantly to the country’s economic growth”, Prasad said.
Excel skilling
The lack of skilled labor has been harassing the industry for many years and to counter it, figs came with two state -of -the -art training and skill development centers, one is located in Hosur, Tamil Nadu and the other in Jaipur, Rajasthan. “The idea is that the currently the difference in the availability of skilled manpower is a stable supply of skilled professionals to bridge the differences and ensure that there is a stable supply of skilled professionals to meet the needs of the industry”, Prasad said.
Stona 2025 will be inaugurated on 12 February by Mines and Geology and Horticulture SS Mallikrajun, and Karnataka Transport Minister and Mujarai Ramalinga Reddy. The Minister of State for Commerce and Industries of Rajasthan will also be present at the inauguration ceremony.
Awards and honors
The last day of the exhibition, February 15, will witness the presentation of prizes and honors for the national leaders in the field of exports, mines, machinery and equipment with its superb work, mines, machinery and equipment. The awards presented by figs will be given by the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka DK Shivkumar. In addition to the Industry Award and Lifetime Achievement Award, this version of Stona will also present an award to honor the famous sculptor Arun Yogiraj.
To encourage students to study geology, Figsi will also have a special category for meritorious student awards in the field of geology.
Published – 09 February, 2025 03:59 PM IST
