AMN / NEW DELHI
India’s first Toy Fair will be held virtually from February 27 to March 2, 2021. It is the first ever digitally accessible exhibition and platform which will provide an opportunity to explore and buy a variety of toys from over 1,000 exhibitors across states and union territories, and participate in insightful webinars, panel discussions and activities, and network with various stakeholders from the toy industry.
Leaders from the Indian toy industry are hailing the Government for this initiative. Calling this ‘a very big opportunity,’ Sharad Kapoor, General Secretary of the Toy Association of India, says, “It is a ray of hope for an industry that employs two and half million workers, of which 50 per cent are women.”
He added that the space for big change began when the Government roped in affiliated ministries and State Governments to give a fillip to the industry and also introduced the BIS certification for safety. Srinivas Warambe, managing director of Excel Fibrotech Pvt Ltd, a Nagpur-based company that makes toys for school children, believes the Toy Fair is a visionary initiative that will decisively change the direction of the Indian toy market. He said that this will not only reduce the dependence on toys on foreign markets, but will also ensure access to better quality toys to children at affordable prices.