Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- Maharaja of Mysuru His Highness Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar was the guest of honour at the Valedictory function
- 26 speakers, 170 participants, 500 stalls and 6500 footfalls marked the success of AIAMA Expo 2022
The three-day AIAMA Expo 2022 – the most extensive international Agarbathi Expo & Conference that was held at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru concluded today with His Highness Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Maharaja of Mysore, gracing the occasion. Smt. Shobha Karandlaje, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare also visited the AIAMA Expo 2022 on the 2nd day and addresses the audience expressing governments’ support to the association in elevating the industry in every possible manner.
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Arjun Ranga, President AIAMA felicitating Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Maharaja of Mysore
The event witnessed 6500 footfalls and delegates from across the country, including a few from overseas. It was announced that the Legal Metrology changes from December 1st, 2022 for the industry sector and the same was enlightened to the delegates to create awareness. Perfumery sessions focussed on the future preferences of fragrance for Agarbathi. The marketing sessions gave a good perspective with audio-visual presentations and interactive sessions. Business opportunities were seeded at the AIAMA Expo during the three-day event. New technological advancements were discussed during the event.
During her visit to the Expo, Shobha Karandlaje, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare said, “AIAMA Expo 2022 is a great initiative towards the upliftment of the industry and I am delighted to be attending such a significant event. I would also like to thank AIAMA for organising the Expo & Conference in the heart of the city.”
With a steady growth of the industry, which is predominantly labour intensive, it is envisaged to generate more employment in the future. It leads to large women empowerment, especially in the rural sector with a scope to transform the rural economy totally. “Our government will always support businesses and such initiatives to empower women in our country,” added Shobha Karandlaje.
The theme for AIAMA Expo 2022 was ‘Traditionally Modern’, signifying the integration of Indian traditions with modern technology and innovations. Technology today has substantially changed. From hand-rolled agarbathies, which was the heritage, a lot of mechanization has happened today. The export potential is very high as the product reflects the heritage and traditions of our country contributing to Athma Nirbhar Bharath initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
During the Valedictory function Mr Arjun Ranga, President, AIAMA said, “It’s a wonderful 3 days of expo and conference. I thank everybody in the AIAMA managing committee and the fraternity on the whole for supporting the Agarbathi expo to the fullest possible extent.”
Giving a perspective of what to expect going forward, Mr. Arjun added, “This is just the beginning; going forward we will have more such proactive initiatives and knowledge series. We will be interacting with the government more frequently. We hope to continue this expo at least once in three years.”
Speaking at the Valedictory function, his highness Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Maharaja of Mysore, said, “The seeds of agarbathi and perfumery were sown in the princely era, which has grown into a big tree today. Thank you for honouring the heritage by inviting me here as a representative of that heritage. Mysuru has the highest number of GI tags out of the 250 listed in the country. Mysuru Agarbathi is the torchbearer of the Mysuru identity. It’s a matter of great pride for all of us here that the GI tag of Mysuru will remain for years to come, honouring that tradition.”
AIAMA Expo & Conference witnessed curated speaker sessions and panel discussions on extensive topics such as the future of Indian retail, innovations in packaging and the future of duplex & corrugation, fragrance trends in India, and so on. The three-day expo and conference also showcased various cultural events, musical bands and traditional art forms of Karnataka. The exhibits included the origin of agarbathi and essential milestones in the Agarbathi industry were showcased using exhibits such as iconic photographs, and unique agarbathi samples.
