Five Handloom Weavers Honoured on National Handloom Day

Rapid Summary

• The Karnataka handlooms and textiles Department celebrated national Handloom Day, marking the 1905 swadeshi Movement.
• Five handloom weavers were felicitated for their innovative designs under categories of silk, cotton, and wool:

– M.V. Prakash (Tumakuru)
– Suresh D.S. (Chitradurga)
– Tejappa Chinnuru (Gadag) – Recognized for his “Operation Sindoor” cotton saree design.
– Lakshmana Kakkannavara (Bagalakote)
– K.M. Bajjappa (Chitradurga)

• Karnataka has approximately:

– 54,791 handloom weavers using around 29,377 tools.
– Produces diverse textiles like cotton wear,silk sarees,Ilkal sarees,towels,and bedsheets.

• Financial allocations by the department:

– ₹10 crore towards weaver support packages and ₹60 crore under the samman scheme annually for FYs 2024-25 & 2025-26.

• Approval by Karnataka Cabinet for a textile park in Kalaburagi under PM Mitra Park project.

– To be developed on a 1000-acre plot with funding jointly by state and central governments.
– Total budget allocated: ₹390.26 crore.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The recognition of innovation among Karnataka’s skilled handloom workers emphasizes efforts to preserve tradition while encouraging creativity in textile production-an crucial step toward revitalizing an industry deeply rooted in India’s culture as Independence-era movements like Swadeshi.

With significant investment plans such as the ₹60-crore annual Samman scheme alongside financial support packages and development projects like PM Mitra Park in Kalaburagi envisioned at over ₹390 crore-the move signals intent to integrate traditional weaving into broader economic frameworks while addressing challenges such as modernizing infrastructure or securing livelihoods.

As handlooms face competition from mass production globally yet hold cultural meaning nationally-the State’s multidirectional approach appears poised to balance heritage protection with industrial growth aspirations benefitting thousands tied to this livelihood ecosystem.

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