Newsletter 01-2010 

Amritsar Chess Makers Scene

Building of Golden Temple at the end 16th century, Amritsar brought many skilled craftsmen to the place, and since it has been centre for fine crafts. Golden Temple itself is one of the finest examples of fine crafts.

Until the ban on ivory in 1990, Amritsar was known for fine ivory work, around the same time an American dealer was seeking the production of chess-sets in wood, and those were earlier produced by Jacques of London.
For the last two decades, Amritsar has been the biggest producer of wooden chess-sets. House of Staunton sources its main supply from Amritsar. Rajesh Sharma of ‘Amritsar Ivory Works’ produced solely for HOS for over decade. Now Jaranail Singh of ‘JS Arts’ is meeting this demand.

Pleasant Times, a well run company by Jaswinder Singh, has created its own market in all kind of other games in wood , but a small producer of chess-set for travelling chess.

There are about a dozen small producers those produce mainly make for a dealer Chopra Chess. Chopra Chess, whose main business is dealing in cotton thread and other commodities. On his website he uses the title of ‘The Royal Game Maker’, without giving any proof who appointed him as ‘The Royal Game Maker@. In India, there is so little of government regulations and non-existent mechanism for its implementation; anyone can call themselves anything without any proof or logic. May be he means – his business activities are a big game and he being the big player, so gives himself the title ‘Royal’. If he was in UK and using the title ‘Royal’, he will be stopped on day one.

He is basically a trader and he uses all his business acumenship is procuring cheaply, and undercutting everyone else in prices. I have been told that he has developed a practice of holding payments of makers, so that if a maker has no choice but to sell him at his dictated prices. This information one gets from small makers. Since Chopra can invest and hold stock, has the advantage of supplying at a short notice.

I have talked to couple dealers in UK, they are rather happy to use Chopra as their supplier, as they don’t care whether the workers are paid a fair price or not. Chess dealers are not unique in such practices; it has been the same in clothing and carpet industries until British media tracked the sources of supply and found poor working conditions in India and Bangladesh. It was the media pressure in UK that forced the UK companies to see how the workers treated by their suppliers.

Pretenders

Among the small makers, there are some pretenders too, who pretend/aspire to be big. One small producer even uses company name ‘Jacques House’ and such others. One new seller sent emails to many dealers in the UK/US claiming to be the supplier to American Chess Federation; which obviously he was not. He used the picture of showroom with a Caucasian woman in front, as his own show room. This email was sent to me from one of the US dealers, and sent an investigator, and found, his company office was on the first floor of a dingy building.

Creative Craftsmanship

Master Craftsman Bhupinder Singh and his son Mandeep Singh working under SAGGU INDIA, are the best carvers available today in Amritsar in Chess Industry. Most of the young carvers working today in Amritsar have been trained by Bhupinder Singh. Whereas Mandeep Singh is the one who comes with new designs on paper, some of the designs never seen in the market before as Limited Edition ‘King Arthur’ and ‘Mark Anthony’ for Natraja Collection. If one is looking for some who can meet his expectations/demands of a very meticulous buyer, it is only Mandeep and his father Bhupinder Singh can provide such a service.

Though India has been and increasing its share in the export market, but has done little to create an ethical fair dealings in manufacturing sector. Worst is the small markets such as chess makers and other handicrafts In Amritsar.

Skilled Workforce

Any training facilities for wood-carving is almost none existent, I have seen only one school advertising on the net in Kerala, South India. There is no such thing as “Ornamental Wood Carving and Gilding Diploma” at City & Guilds of London Art School.

All the craftsmen are trained from master to student. So, most of the wood carvers in Amritsar come from line of the Master Carver Achhar Singh, who is enjoying his retirement in his mid-eighties now. He had two students Bhupinder Singh Rattan Singh. Today from all carvers over 70% has been trained by Bhupinder Singh and others by Rattan Singh.

Working Conditions

I have visited 3 chess makers in Amritsar and have seen working conditions in their work spaces. Any adherence to Health & Safety Rules is non-existent. Poor workers many of them work like slaves, as big producers have not training scheme of their own, so they spot good workers in the market, and tempt them by offering them anything between Rs.25,000 to Rs. 100,000 as advance; which is big amount for workers those are mostly living hand to mouth. Once they have taken such an advance, there is no way they can save such amount and pay the employer back, so they end up what is known as bonded labour. In 1976 India Government passed an act that made it illegal such practices, but most of the workers are ignorant about it. Indian Act provides the right of workers to leave the employer without paying back the advance, and no legal action will be possible by the employer in such cases. (More info)

Since the market of chess-making is so small and big companies are so influential that workers won’t dare to walk away from the job.

Business Practices

Real competition is really between two big players in the field, one supplied to the biggest buyer House of Staunton for over a decade, before HOS switched to other maker. Now both makers do not see eye to eye to each other. What happened between the first supplier to HOS, I have heard the arguments from both sides, and it is basically a murky area. It will not be fair for me to make any comments. I even tried to make the two parties sit together to resolve any past issues without any commitment to work again. It proved impossible.
I never met Jaswinder Singh of Pleasant Times nor I had the chance to visit their factory, but according to my sources, company is well managed and innovative and have carved a place in the market and do not take any part in the cockpit games.

The main trader in Chess in Amritsar, I contacted the company for meeting during my first visit to Amritsar, it refused the meeting, rather told all the small makers, who sell their sets to him, not have any contact with me. Several of these small makers told me that if they meet me openly, they would lose their trade with him. As he keeps enough money outstanding to these makers, they will not only lose their business with him, but lose the outstanding money also.

Saggus the most skilled craftsmen– Mandeep and his father the first party who dared to stop supplying to the trader and export directly over the last two years. Since it has become priority ONE for him to stop them.

Though there is need for either another trader in Amritsar who would develop this business on solid grounds. Unfortunately a number of other traders, whose main business in not chess-sets, have tried to enter the market, pretending as big players.

Now if you receive an email from a pretender, please forward to us of a simple quick enquiry, it will save your time and possible money too. We shall give you our un-biased assessment. We can also initiate a detailed enquiry onf the company and prepare a professional report for you if you need one.

Government Help

In spite of feeling witnessing several big and small cocks fighting in the pit, there are some positive ideas about. During my first visit to Amritsar over a year ago, I was introduced to Mr Bhagat the Head of the Small Scale Industries office in Amritsar; a very positive man, who is sincerely ready to help the desperate group of small chess makers.
On the initiative of Mr Chess makers has created an Association, as the Government listens more to the associations and unions. Through the Department of Small Scale Industries, they can get land on Government controlled prices and other benefits as regular electricity supply. These are big helps in India.

Chess Makers Association

During my first visit early last year Mr Bhagat called in a meeting of Association members. Members who attended the meeting were keen to find out how they could sell directly to the sellers on individual level. But I suggested that Association should open its one sales outlet, then I could make the US & UK dealers aware of this outlet. They were not so keen on the collective sales outlet scheme.

Annual Festival of Chess Makers

Department of Small scale Industries is open to help in my idea of holding an annual fair to chess makers, when buyers can come and see their products and make direct contact with makers.
This idea need more work and collective urge from makers.

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