At the Chintan Shivir 2026, organised by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in Haridwar, designer Manish Tripathi delivered a session on “Tribal Economy and Sustainable Livelihoods.”
Drawing from his experience with TRIFED’s premium brand RISA, he spoke about the need to move beyond viewing tribal products through a purely subsistence lens, and instead position them as aspirational, well-designed products with stronger market relevance. He touched upon how design, branding and better market access can help build more sustainable income streams for artisans.
He also made the broader point that the tribal economy shouldn’t be seen as a static or traditional space, but one that has the potential to grow with the right support – while still staying rooted in its cultural and ecological context.
Going forward, he highlighted the importance of creating more consistent market linkages and bringing in design and digital support in a way that is practical and long-term, rather than through one-off interventions.
