President Murmu's Republic Day invite is a handcrafted bamboo box
The 2026 invitation, as in recent years, took the form of handcrafted bamboo boxes, designed with help from National Institute of Design (NID) students and artisans across India's northeast.
Sources say the project involved more than 350 contributors, with reported timelines ranging from about 45 days to roughly three months, to create these unique keepsakes for her January 26 "At Home" reception.
Artisans and students teamed up to make it happen
About 200 village artisans and around 100 NID faculty, staff, alumni and students joined forces, though other reports say more than 350 artisans contributed;
production is reported at roughly 950 invitation kits, with timelines variously described as about 45 days to around three months.
For many artisans, seeing their work head to Rashtrapati Bhavan was a proud moment.
Each box is packed with local culture
The bamboo boxes feature colorful weaving using Tripura's traditional techniques.
Inside, there's a scroll that highlights crafts from all eight northeastern states—think Assam's Gogona jaw harp or Mizoram's Puan Chei textile—making each invite both an artwork and a tribute to regional creativity.
Why this matters
These invites aren't just pretty—they spotlight how local design keeps Indian traditions alive.
Plus, guests get a piece of northeast heritage they can actually hang on their wall long after Republic Day is over.