Innovation lessons from handmade paper What the revival of the 1,000-year-old Monpa paper in Arunachal Pradesh teaches us. Image: Illustration by Anirban Ghosh Ever since I travelled to Arunachal Pradesh in the beginning of 2020, that northeastern state of solemn and rugged beauty has fascinated me. It was therefore with excitement that I noticed that a 1,000-year-old craft tradition, of making the Monpa handmade paper, had been revived by the state-run Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in Tawang. It seemed to me to be just the sort of localised, unique innovation that I have spent most of my career advocating (and purchasing as a customer). As the age of the local dawns upon us once again, the demand for authenticity and indigenous products is growing exponentially. Products that can tap into a rich history, bring something that cannot be mass replicated, and tells a unique story have always held a premium in the market. It is just that many developing countries did not, in the past, have the wherewithal to tell the story right, and develop their cultural heritage into products of value around the world.