Ashish Shantilal Kansara Now Dr. Ashish Shantilal Kansara (Honoris Causa)
LUCKNOW / MADHAPAR (KUTCH): In a historic milestone for traditional Indian craftsmanship, globally renowned master artisan Ashish Shantilal Kansara has been officially conferred with the prestigious honorary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt) degree by the Lucknow-based Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU). The honorary doctorate was presented by the Hon’ble Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Smt. Anandiben Patel, during the university’s 24th grand convocation ceremony held on July 7, 2026.
The highest academic honor was bestowed upon Dr. Ashish Kansara in profound recognition of his lifelong devotion, technical brilliance, and structural contributions toward the preservation, revival, and promotion of India’s 1,550-year-old Kutch Rogan textile craft.
Rescuing an Ancient “Liquid Thread” Legacy
Rogan painting—originating from the Sanskrit word rangan (रङ्ग, meaning “to color”)—is a rare and complex art form where boiled castor oil is processed with natural mineral pigments into a malleable, elastic paste. Utilizing a bare metal stylus (Tulika), the artisan stretches threads of this paste into mid-air, laying them onto fabric with surgical precision without the stylus ever touching the cloth itself.
Born in 1975 into a traditional craftsmanship family, Ashish Kansara represents the seventh generation of artisans dedicated to this heritage, having mastered the foundational alchemy from his grandfather, the legendary late Jamnadas Vastaram Kansara. While mass industrialization and the tragic 2001 Bhuj earthquake pushed the rare craft to the absolute brink of extinction, Kansara made a life-defining vow in 2006 to fully breathe life back into his ancestral tradition.
A Rare Master of the Three Pillars
Dr. Ashish Kansara stands as one of the very few living master artisans possessing the full technical mastery across all three historical dimensions of the craft:
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Rogan Chhap (Pure Freehand): The symmetrical, dynamic liquid-thread execution.
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Nirmika Rogan Art (Heritage Molds): The rare process utilizing hand-carved brass molds (Biba) to press precise geometric stamps onto premium textiles.
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Varnika Rogan Art: The classical embellished style utilizing mica to achieve an ethereal, traditional metallic sheen.
Beyond maintaining technical purity, Kansara is a pioneer in modernizing the craft. He transitioned the art from limited traditional bridal lehengas onto contemporary designer sarees, stoles, and museum-quality wall hangings featuring the world-famous “Tree of Life” motif. He also broke historical ground by creating the first-ever complex divine portraits in Rogan history, including his masterpiece of Tirupati Balaji and the Raja Ram Darbar.
Democratizing Heritage and Empowering Women
What heavily influenced AKTU’s academic recognition was Kansara’s profound social impact. Alongside his wife, Komal Kansara, he broke centuries-old traditional barriers by opening the craft to women. Operating out of Madhapar village near Bhuj, they have actively trained and upskilled over 130 local women, successfully transforming a fiercely guarded family secret into a flourishing community engine that protects the craft from extinction. urthermore, Dr. Kansara has actively bridged the gap between raw craftsmanship and academic research, contributing documentation to journals like the Shanti e Journal of Research and welcoming university students nationwide to his studio for intensive workshops.
Authenticity Secured by Law
As a legally registered Authorized User of the Geographical Indication Tag for Kutch Rogan Craft (GI Tag Registration No: 718 / User No: AU/35946/GI/718/1) granted by the Government of India, Dr. Kansara remains a fierce advocate for protecting authentic regional heritage against modern machine counterfeits.
“This honorary doctorate is not just an individual honor; it is an academic validation of the blood, sweat, and thousands of hours poured by Kutch’s artisan ancestors into preserving India’s rich textile identity,” stated Dr. Ashish Kansara following the ceremony. “Our studio in Madhapar will continue to remain an open portal for scholars, art collectors, and tourists to experience this living science first-hand.”
Dr. Kansara’s masterwork collections, artisan workshops, and direct inventory can be explored through his official research and studio portal at roganart.com