According to the passage on “Chikankari – A Lucknawi Tradition”, why did Paola Manfredi originally come to India?

Introduction / Context:
This question looks at Paola Manfredi’s initial reason for coming to India, as described in the passage about her book “Chikankari – A Lucknawi Tradition”. Although she later became closely associated with chikankari and wrote a major book on it, her first connection with India came through a different professional route. The passage clearly states this reason in her own words, and the question simply asks you to recall it. Distinguishing between her original purpose and her later interests is crucial here.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The passage quotes Paola on why she came to India. • It includes a line such as “Paola came to India to work in textile exports and as she says, ‘If you like textiles ... India is a heaven’.” • Only one option in the list exactly matches this stated reason. • Other options describe activities she may have undertaken later, such as writing her book or engaging with chikankari.

Concept / Approach:
The passage explicitly states Paola’s initial motive: she came to India for work related to textile exports. Her deep involvement with chikankari and the decision to write a book developed later, as part of her personal and professional journey inside India. Therefore, although it might be tempting to choose an option like “To study chikankari”, that would confuse cause and effect. The key is to pick the option that mirrors the quoted line from the passage: “to work in textile exports”.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Recall the portion of the passage that describes Paola’s entry into India. 2. Identify the sentence where she explains her reason in direct or indirect speech. 3. Note that she came “to work in textile exports”, and then discovered India as a textile heaven. 4. Compare this exact reason with the given options. 5. Select “To work in textile exports” as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Going over the passage mentally, you can see that other activities mentioned—like working with SEWA, engaging in grass-roots research, and writing the book—occurred after she had already arrived in India. None of these is described as her original motive. The text is explicit that her professional interest in textiles brought her to India in the first place. Therefore, the options “To visit Lucknow”, “To write a book” and “To study chikankari” are either incomplete or incorrect when we focus on her initial purpose. “To work in textile exports” is the only choice faithfully reflecting the passage.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• “To visit Lucknow” may have happened during her time in India, but it is not given as the initial reason for coming to the country. • “To write a book” refers to a later outcome of her involvement; the book came after years of association with chikankari. • “To study chikankari” again reflects a later deeper engagement and not the original professional motive.

Common Pitfalls:
Many students read quickly and conflate “why she wrote the book” with “why she came to India”, assuming that if the passage is about chikankari, she must have come solely to study it. This is a classic comprehension trap. Always separate chronological stages: initial reason for travel, evolving interests, and final outputs like exhibitions or books. Paying attention to verbs like “came to India to...” versus “eventually decided to...” or “later wrote...” helps to avoid such confusion.

Final Answer:
Paola originally came to India to work in textile exports.