Traditional craftspersons arrive with their creations, products to showcase state’s rich handicraft heritage
CEOs' roundtable, women entrepreneurs session and reserve buyer-seller meet major highlights
Cultural evening and folk artistes' performances to give a glimpse of Himachal culture
Shimla’s Ridge—the venue of the HIM MSME Fest—was all decked up on Friday, setting the stage for the three-day mega event, bringing the traditional artisans, craftspersons, handicraft heritage, and emerging entrepreneurs from different districts on one platform to showcase their creations and products to the world.
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu will inaugurate the fest on Saturday afternoon, amidst all the colourful representations of the handicraft products, ranging from hand-woven shawls to basic products sourced from natural fibres, and value added rural products like milk, garlic, ginger, fruits, potatoes, and sea buckthorn.
State minister for industries Harshvardhan Chauhan, briefing mediapersons on the vision, scope, and objectives of the fest, said the HIM MSME Fest 2026 is not just an exhibition, it’s a celebration of Himachal Pradesh’s spirit of entrepreneurship and enterprises, having already made a mark in the micro, small, and medium enterprises.
“The fest has been designed and planned in a manner that it acts as a take-off point for the small business entrepreneurs, women business leaders, and young innovators to get global positioning of their products, interact with top industry leaders, look for new collaborations and expansions,” he said.
A key attraction on the opening day will be the start-up awards and felicitation ceremony, which will recognise emerging and established start-ups for their performance and innovation,” said Chauhan.
The event is really well structured to open a broader dialogue on MSMEs beyond the traditional areas of tourism and the horticulture sector. That is why some new focused areas like green mobility, defence, pharmaceuticals, artificial intelligence, electronic chips, and data centres have been proposed to be part of the discussions and pitching. The government side also proposes to highlight some of the inherent advantages for investors in Himachal Pradesh, which include surplus power, a peaceful environment, a single-window clearance system for the projects, supportive policies, administration, and no labour unrest.
Other highlights starting on day two of the Fest at Hotel Peterhoff include the CEOs’ Roundtable, chaired by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. The agenda includes discussions on key industry-related issues involving captains of industry, representatives of industrial trade bodies, and knowledge-based institutions.
There will be strategic dialogue sessions proposed with leading industry players in these emerging sectors to attract new investments to the state.
The industries minister will also participate in the deliberations, said Tilak Raj Sharma, additional director and chief coordinator of the fest. The organisers are placing strong emphasis on a buyer–seller meet to highlight and strengthen the One District, One Product initiative.
“The government aims to position itself as a marketplace that connects buyers and sellers of the state’s signature products with dedicated platforms,” he says.
Industry Minister Chauhan said the ODOP initiative is giving a fresh direction to district-level economies by blending traditional skills with modern market opportunities. He added that the scheme is helping build a strong foundation for sustainable livelihoods for farmers, artisans, and small entrepreneurs of the state.
The selected products include Chamba Rumal, Kullu Shawls, Kangra Tea, Chulli Oil from Kinnaur, Seabuckthorn products from Lahaul-Spiti, and mushrooms from Solan, which reflect Himachal's diverse economic strengths. This diversity is further showcased through Amla processing in Bilaspur, agro-product processing in Hamirpur, the packaging industry in Solan, the light engineering sector in Una, the steel furniture industry in Mandi, and technology upgrades
Giving a new colour to the event, the Department of Industries has also planned a series of cultural events and musical performances to highlight Himachal Pradesh’s culture. Cultural troupes from Sirmaur, Hamirpur, Mandi, and Chamba will also perform, besides Pahari singers, for live performances.
Industry Director Dr Yunus said the objective of the Industries Department is to motivate youth towards self-employment, connect local products with markets, and create new investment opportunities. Workshops, mentoring sessions, and networking meetings will provide entrepreneurs with opportunities to interact directly with experts.
