5th National Handloom Day observed on August 7
The 5th National Handloom Day was celebrated on 7th August across the country. However, events scheduled in Delhi for the National Handloom Day were cancelled to pay homage to Ex- Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj on her sad and sudden demise.
Brief history of National Handloom Day
The Union Government had declared 7th of August as the National Handloom Day in July 2015 with the objective of generating awareness about the importance of the handloom industry to the socio economic development of the country.
August 7 was chosen as the National Handloom Day to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement which was launched on this day in 1905 in Calcutta Town Hall to protest against the partition of Bengal by the British Government. The movement had aimed at reviving domestic products and production processes.
The first National Handloom Day was inaugurated on 7th August 2015 by the Prime Minister Modi, at the centenary of Madras University in Chennai. Since then, the National Handloom Day is observed annually on 7th August to honour the handloom weavers in the country and also highlight India’s handloom industry. National Handloom Day seeks to focus on the contribution of handloom to the socio economic development of the country and also increase the income of weavers.
National Handloom Day 2019 Activities:
The main function was organised in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.It was presided over by State Minister of Industries, Handloom, Handicraft and Textiles, Padmini Diyan. Secretary Textiles, Ravi Capoor, was the guest of honour. The function was attended by Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Sanjay Rastogi, and weavers from all over the state.
More than 50 percent of total weavers population of India resides in Eastern and North Eastern Regions and most of them are women. The prime objective of holding the National Handloom Day in Bhubaneswar is to empower women and girls.
Handloom Mela and exhibition, workshops, panel discussion were organised at 16 NIFT campuses across the country and special stalls were put up for handloom products at Gandhinagar and Kolkata NIFT campuses.
4th All India Handloom Census report was released on the occasion and Certificates to beneficiaries of various schemes were distributed.
