BHUBANESWAR: The two-day National Handloom Summit-2024, which brought together weavers, sellers, buyers and trainers from across the country to a common platform, concluded at Bargarh on Friday.Jointly organised by the Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts department, Western Odisha Development Council and Bargarh administration, the theme of the summit was ‘A Weave of Culture and Legacy’. Inaugurated virtually by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday, the objective of the summit was to introduce handloom products of the state, western Odisha in particular, including Habaspuri, Bomkai, Pashapali, Sambalpuri Bandha at a national level.
A series of panel discussions on preserving the handloom heritage, recycling textiles and revitalising age-old traditions in the sector were organised as a part of the summit.Power of women collectives in the handloom sector was discussed where speakers delved into the pivotal role of women SHGs and collectives, alongside organisations like SIDBI, FMC, OLM, ORMAS, and producer groups, in empowering livelihoods through handloom practices. The panel featured Kiran Bishnoi of Invest India, Prerna Agrawal from Samakhya, National Awardee master weaver Sukanti Meher, Ankita Sachdev of Nona Lifestyle, and Shibani Mishra, a consultant to SIDBI.
Panelists also explored the adaptation of handlooms to contemporary fashion, integration into modern wardrobes, and fostering artisan empowerment through innovative enterprises. Similarly, sustainable practices in handloom production like natural dyeing techniques, renewable energy, export and maintaining sustainability amidst market shifts were discussed.
One of the highlights of the event was a fashion show where actress and climate change activist Dia Mirza walked the ramp draped in a red Bomkai saree. A ‘Hall of Fame’ was also set up at the summit which presented National Award winning designs that were meticulously curated by weavers from Western Odisha districts. Four award-winning weavers of Odisha - Gobardhan Panika, Chaturbhuj Meher, Gajam Gobardhan, and Surendra Meher - attended as panelists in the summit, which was touted to be one of the largest such handloom events in India. Handloom leadership awards were given away to weavers and designers who brought in excellence and innovation in the handloom industry.Thousands of stakeholders in the handloom industry from the state and outside including 50 exhibitors from 20 states participated in the event.