Sankalp Scheme I Govt. of India
Upskilling folk artists
for a digital world.
Mirasi · Dholi · Langas · Manganiyar · Bhopa · Kalbeliya — equipping 4,050 folk artists across Rajasthan with digital skills, legal knowledge, and livelihood tools.
9 districts across Rajasthan
Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India
Media & Entertainment Skill Council (MESC)
The Vision
The barriers are digital. And they can be dismantled.
Rajasthan's rich tapestry of folk music, dance, and oral traditions has sustained communities for centuries — yet many of these artists remain invisible to the wider world, struggling to earn sustainable livelihoods from their craft.
This programme was born from a single conviction: that the barriers separating a Manganiyar singer in the Thar desert from a global audience are no longer geographical — they are digital, and they can be dismantled.
Under the Sankalp Scheme, the Malang Folk Foundation and MESC are working to equip 4,050 folk artists and rural content creators across nine Rajasthani districts with the tools they need to tell their own stories — and build financially resilient lives from their craft.
"The vision is not to replace the performance stage with a phone screen, but to ensure that every Bhopa storyteller, Kalbeliya dancer, and Langa ensemble can reach an audience far beyond the festival ground."
— Project Vision Statement, Folk Artist Upskilling Programme
We don't own this space. We offer it — to the city, to its artists, to its wanderers, and to whoever arrives withsomething to make, share, or simply witness.
Partners
Voices of Tomorrow
A programme for artists, by artists.
The programme addresses the full arc of an artist's professional life — from drafting a tech rider before a performance, to enrolling in a government pension scheme, to exploring teaching and cultural-tourism as additional income streams.
Livelihood & Rights
Understanding artist rights, copyright law, government welfare schemes, insurance and pension enrollment — building the economic foundations for a sustainable artistic life.
Digital Empowerment
Building professional digital profiles, creating compelling content using just a smartphone, navigating social media platforms and monetisation pathways.
4,050
folk artists trained across Rajasthan
40 hrs
per candidate — 4 days training + assessment
~30%
artists linked to live performance platforms
9
districts across Rajasthan
We have participated in exhibitions in Bikaner earlier also, but have never seen such management and arrangements before. Earlier we were skeptical about sales, but our sales were better than what we do in Jaipur or Delhi.
Artisan Organisation
Craft Collective
Rajasthan
Thank you for such a well-managed platform — we got recognition and great sales.
SHG Participant
Self Help Group Member
Assam
Training Curriculum — 7 Modules
A comprehensive 40-hour programme equipping folk artists with digital skills, legal knowledge, and livelihood tools.
Stronger district collaborations
Strengthened collaborations with local district administrations — embedding folk artist welfare into government planning and outreach.
Digital literacy assessments
Baseline and endline digital literacy assessments documented — measuring growth and certifying skills for each participant.
1,200 artists linked to platforms
Approximately 1,200 artists linked to Live101, JustDial & reel agencies — creating direct market access and performance opportunities.
Vocal Health
Maintaining vocal health teaching music homestay tourism guest lecturing.
Living artist database
Dedicated artist database and grassroots ecosystem established — a permanent, searchable record of Rajasthan's folk artist community.
Brochures & showreels produced
Artist brochures and showreels produced for all participants — professional marketing materials owned by the artists themselves.
Digital profiles for all artists
Digital profiles created for all 4,050 participants — making each artist discoverable, shareable, and professionally represented online.
Hiring & Consulting
Artist managers legal consultants festival identification.
Govt. welfare enrollment
Community welfare enrollment in government insurance and pension schemes — building long-term financial security for senior artists.
30+ MSDE social media posts
30+ MSDE-partnered social media posts on folk arts — amplifying Rajasthan's intangible heritage to national and global audiences.
Community Welfare
Government scheme enrollment life insurance health insurance pensions.
Legal Knowledge
Protecting original work copyright law rights in collaborative projects.
Phase 1 · 1,600 artists · District headquarters
Senior and group leader artists trained first — they become the trainer cadre for Phase 2. Bikaner 200 · Ajmer 200 · Jaisalmer 200 · Barmer 200 · Sikar 200 · Beawar 200 · Jodhpur 200 · Udaipur 100 · Jaipur 100
Phase 2 · 2,450 artists · Panchayat samiti level
Grassroots workshops across 35 panchayat samitis in batches of 50 artists. Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Ajmer, Sikar, Beawar, Jodhpur — 5 Panchayat Samitis per district, 350 artists each.
Support
Choose how you would like to be part of this journey.
Your support enables both those who carry the knowledge and those who are ready to receive it.
♥
Sponsor an artist's training
Cover the Rs. 1,300 training cost for a folk artist — ensuring they complete the full programme and receive their certification.
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Platform partnership
Connect your platform or marketplace to our artist database — linking 4,050 trained folk artists to performance, content, and tourism opportunities.
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CSR & institutional partnership
Align your organisation with this government-backed cultural initiative. We offer co-branded impact reporting, field immersion, and documentation.
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Volunteer trainer or assessor
Bring skills in digital marketing, legal knowledge, content creation, or social media to train the next cohort of folk artists.
