Overview
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a handcrafted Agra marble chess set to Russian President Vladimir Putin during his recent visit.
- Local artisans and exporters say the gesture has raised the profile of Agra’s stone inlay craft and could increase global demand and employment.
- Craftsmen describe each chess set as requiring 10 to 15 days of handwork, with stone sourced from Vietnam, Bangladesh and Italy.
- Trader estimates suggest about 5,000 people in Agra depend on the stone inlay trade, a business worth several crores of rupees annually.
- Shop owners plan to display photos of the gifting in showrooms and highlight the set’s Agra provenance to Russian tourists, with some tying the moment to support from the ODOP scheme.