At the IDCO Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar, the Odisha government observed the 12th National Handloom Day to demonstrate its dedication to protecting the state’s handloom legacy while promoting innovation and long-term industry growth.
Governor Launches Key Handloom Projects
Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati attended the event as the chief guest and virtually laid the foundation stone for several major projects. These included the Kastaa Handloom Bhavan in Jagatsinghpur, Tasar Silk Park Phase-1 and Facility Centre at Sukinda in Jajpur, an AI-based Handloom and Apparel Park at Abhimanpur in Cuttack, Resham Odisha showrooms in Ahmedabad and Raghurajpur, seven mini garment units, three sales centres for weavers’ cooperative societies, and a Fabric Calendaring Unit at Routpada in Khordha.
The projects are expected to improve infrastructure, strengthen production capacity, and provide better support to weavers across the state.
Partnerships to Expand Market Reach
The department signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Amazon Karigar, Grasim India Ltd., and Zuby’s Designer Studio to promote sustainable fashion and expand the market for Odisha’s handloom products.
Focus on Weaver Welfare
Cooperation and Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta urged people to support handloom products and bolster the livelihoods of weaving communities, stating that the government is still dedicated to enhancing the welfare of weavers thru infrastructure development, market promotion, design support, skill development, and social security initiatives.
Awards and Technology Showcase
The event featured the presentation of State Handloom Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Surendra Meher of Barpali. Six other weavers and four Tantakruti award winners were also honoured.
The department showcased videos on the KUSUM project for reviving traditional fabrics, KARUNA Silk, and the use of Blockchain and IoT technologies for product traceability. The Annual Activity Report 2025-26 was also released during the programme.