Paperman Media ( Bhubaneswar )- The 12th National Handloom Day was celebrated at IDCO Exhibition Ground, Bhubaneswar, with a strong focus on preserving Odisha’s handloom heritage while promoting innovation, sustainable fashion, technology and market opportunities for weavers.
The programme, organised by the Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Department, Government of Odisha, was graced by Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati as Chief Guest. Cooperation & Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta, Commissioner-cum-Secretary Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, senior officials, master weavers, designers, awardees, cooperative representatives and industry stakeholders attended the event.
The Governor virtually laid foundation stones for several projects, including Kastaa Handloom Bhavan at Jagatsinghpur, Tasar Silk Park Phase-I and Facility Centre at Sukinda, an AI-based Handloom and Apparel Park at Abhimanpur, and Resham Odisha showrooms at Ahmedabad and Raghurajpur. Seven mini garmenting units and three sales centres were also launched across the State. A Fabric Calendaring Unit at Routpada, Khordha, was inaugurated.
MoUs were signed with Amazon Karigar, Grasim India Ltd. and Zuby’s Designer Studio to promote sustainable fashion, eco-conscious design and wider market access for Odisha handlooms.
The State Handloom Awards recognised outstanding craftsmanship, including the Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Surendra Meher of Barpali, Bargarh, along with six State-level and four Tantakruti awardees.
Videos showcasing KUSUM’s revival of lost fabrics, KARUNA Silk, and blockchain and IoT-based handloom traceability were screened. The Annual Activity Report 2025-26 was also released.
With the theme “A Piece of Handloom in Everyone’s Life,” the celebration underscored Odisha’s vision of a sustainable, technology-enabled and globally competitive handloom sector while strengthening the livelihoods of thousands of weavers and artisans.
