Come 7th August and the nation celebrates the National Handloom Day, as to recognize the contributions of the handloom weavers of the country. The day was chosen as National Handloom Day to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement which was launched on this day in 1905 in the Calcutta Town hall to protest against the partition of Bengal by the British Government.
As per the latest report by the Ministry of Textile, Government of India, the Indian Handloom sector contributes 95 percent to the world’s hand-woven fabrics and 78 percent of female weavers and workers.
This year the celebration has turned a step stronger with the campaign #VocalforLocal #AtmanirbharBharat by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This morning, he took it to his Twitter handle and to laud the artisans involved with this sector. He praised the craftsman involved with the sector and asked countrymen to promote ‘vocal for handmade’ products to strengthen the government’s effort of a self-reliant India.
On National Handloom Day, we salute all those associated with our vibrant handloom and handicrafts sector. They have made commendable efforts to preserve the indigenous crafts of our nation. Let us all be #Vocal4Handmade and strengthen efforts towards an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. pic.twitter.com/XD7cs9ES7F
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 7, 2020
“On National Handloom Day, we salute all those associated with our vibrant handloom and handicrafts sector. They have made commendable efforts to preserve the indigenous crafts of our nation. Let us all be #Vocal4Handmade and strengthen efforts towards an Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted.
“Let us all be #Vocal4Handmade and strengthen efforts towards an Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” Modi added.
PM also shared a recorded message on the occasion and said, “India’s handloom and handicraft sector carries the history of hundreds of years. It should be our effort that Indian handloom and handicrafts should be used by all of us.”
He also urged the people to spread information about these handlooms and handicrafts around the world to benefit the local artisans.
“It is also our duty to spread information about it to people around the world. The more the world knows about our handlooms and handicrafts, the more our local artisans will benefit,” he added.
While the ace designers including Rahul Mishra, Suket Dhir, Anavila Mishra and Sreejit Jeevan have taken the campaign international, the new-age designers are well-versed with the need of the hour and are full support of the Indian handloom industry and are all game for using the handloom over readymade fabrics.
For Shreyansh Jaiswal, a Delhi-based young designer, handloom and organic fabrics are not just the identity of the Indian fashion world, they also contribute to the Indian economy in a big way. Calling #AtmanirbharBharat the future of Indian fashion and nation at large, he feels that these fabrics are good for the environment too.
He adds, “They are good for the Indian climate and have features that make them softer and more comfortable.” They are sustainable, chemical-free and we as designers work as the linking pin between the artisans and the economy and make it big in every way possible.”
In the celebration, Bollywood celebrities have played a key role and the same can be seen today on micro-blogging sites, where celebs like Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Vidya Balan, Janhvi Kapoor and more can be seen sharing their message and views on the importance of the day, dressed in the best of designer handloom creations.
To sum up, the best part of this celebration is that the whole fashion industry is working towards a singular cause and that is revive, resuscitate and redeem what is India’s biggest strength-Handloom.
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