Tribal art, culture, and handicrafts in India represent critical repositories of indigenous knowledge, cultural identity, and sustainable livelihood practices. These traditional art forms are deeply embedded within the socio-religious structures, ecological ethics, and historical contexts of tribal communities, contributing significantly to the country’s intangible cultural heritage. Despite their cultural and economic relevance, tribal art forms are increasingly vulnerable due to structural transformations induced by modernization, globalization, market penetration, and persistent socio-economic exclusion. The present study undertakes a systematic analysis of the preservation and promotion of tribal art and handicrafts with a specific focus on developing societies. Employing a qualitative and descriptive research design, the study relies on secondary data sourced from government reports, policy documents, academic literature, and institutional publications. Analytical tools such as content analysis and comparative policy evaluation are used to assess the effectiveness of existing cultural preservation frameworks, including state interventions, non-governmental initiatives, and market-oriented models. The findings indicate that while institutional mechanisms for preservation exist, their impact remains constrained by inadequate implementation, limited community participation, and commercialization pressures. The study argues for an integrated policy approach that emphasizes participatory governance, capacity building, digital documentation, and inclusive market linkages. Such a framework is essential not only for safeguarding tribal art as cultural capital but also for enhancing economic resilience and sustainable development among indigenous communities.
Meshram et al. (Fri,) studied this question.