Imphal, Aug 7 (IANS) Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Friday said that women are the pioneers of the state’s handloom sector, with around 95 per cent of handloom producers being women and the remaining five per cent men.
State Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and the Chief Minister attended the 12th National Handloom Day celebration at the City Convention Centre in Imphal.
Highlighting the significance of the event, Khemchand Singh stated that National Handloom Day is observed across the country to commemorate the historic Swadeshi Movement, which began in Calcutta in 1905 to protest against the partition of Bengal by the British during the colonial period. The movement encouraged the use of indigenous products, particularly handwoven textiles and locally made goods, he noted.
The Chief Minister further said that on August 7, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially launched the annual observance of National Handloom Day in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Since then, the country has been observing this important day, empowering handloom and handicraft artisans and the weaver community, he added.
Narrating his childhood, the Chief Minister said that half of the share of family expenses in Manipur, where handloom has been the tradition of every household, is borne by women through income generated from handloom activities.
Khemchand Singh emphasised that the celebration aims to promote and encourage the country’s handloom and handicrafts sector. In Manipur as well, both men and women engaged in handloom and handicrafts continue to produce a wide range of innovative products. Their creations are not only gaining recognition within the state but are also earning appreciation and popularity in markets beyond.
He added that most handloom products are used by women and encouraged men also to use handloom products.
The event was organised by the Department of Textiles, Commerce & Industry, Government of Manipur, under the theme “Threads of tradition: Weaving culture through handlooms.”
As part of the event, a short video documentary titled “Threads of Heritage” was screened, and a data book on handloom, along with a coffee table book titled “Threads of Heritage: Traditional and GI‑Tagged Handwoven Stoles of Manipur,” were officially released.
During the function, State Awards for Outstanding Handloom Weavers and Handicrafts Artisans for the year 2025‑26 were distributed. The winners of the Best Cluster Designer Award for Home Furnishing at the National Handloom Designers’ Conclave 2026 were also felicitated.
–IANS
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