SARAS Fair 2025 in Hyderabad draws over one lakh visitors

The Sale of Articles of Rural Artisans Society (SARAS) Fair 2025, a national exhibition that brought together women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) from across the country to Hyderabad concluded on Monday (September 29). According to organisers, the fair recorded a footfall of over one lakh visitors. Many corporate employees and professionals from the IT corridor joined in for festive shopping, lending their support to women-led enterprises.

Organised by the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP), Telangana, the fair ran from September 18 to September 29 at the Indira Mahila Shakti Bazaar in Madhapur, adjacent to Shilparamam. With over 150 stalls, the event featured handlooms, handicrafts, silks, ornaments, food products, biodegradable items and leather goods created by rural women artisans. SHGs from more than 20 states and Union Territories, including Ladakh, Punjab, Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and the North Eastern states, participated in the exhibition.

Alongside the exhibition and sales, daily cultural programmes such as Telangana folk songs and dance performances drew enthusiastic crowds. A multi-cuisine food court featuring regional delicacies, including Hyderabadi biryani, haleem, sarva pindi and Irani chai, added to the fair’s attractions.

Speaking about the initiative, SERP officials highlighted that the fair was not just about sales but about building capacity among rural women to compete in wider markets. Training sessions on product design, financial literacy and marketing were held to enhance their entrepreneurial skills.