National Handloom Day 2021

Weaving empowerment, preserving culture

National Handloom Day is commemorated every year on August 7, with the aim to spread awareness of the need to protect our handloom heritage and to empower handloom weavers and allied workers.

Key Highlights

1. Handloom is a symbol of India’s rich cultural heritage.
2. The handloom sector provides livelihood in rural and semi-rural areas of the country.
3. The sector directly addresses women's empowerment.

National Handloom Day is celebrated every year on the seventh of August. On this day 116 years ago, prominent Indian freedom fighters -- Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and others -- launched the Swadeshi Movement urging Indians to boycott British-made textiles in favour of homespun products for self-reliance. The spinning wheel soon became a symbol of the mass movement against British rule in India.

In July 2015, the Central government proclaimed August 7 as National Handloom Day. Through this observance, the government aims to honour handloom workers in the country and to empower them with greater opportunities. The day also aims to shine a spotlight on the need to protect our handloom heritage.

Handloom is a symbol of India’s rich cultural heritage, and this sector is one of the largest income-generating sources in the country. It provides livelihood in rural and semi-rural areas of the country. The handloom sector addresses women empowerment as more than 70 per cent of all weavers and allied workers are women, as per the government.

The pandemic outbreak and subsequent shutdowns caused disruption of businesses across the world. The handloom sector has, too, been severely impacted by the crisis unleashed by the virus pandemic. Pandemic-triggered hurdles have led to abrupt interruption to the livelihoods of weavers and allied workers.

There are no signs of swift economic recovery, as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on. We must act to protect the interest of handlooms weavers and our country’s glorious cultural heritage. Financial support, design innovation, product diversification, infrastructure development, skill upgradation, lighting units and access to markets can make a difference to weavers in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged all citizens to buy handloom products and showcase their grandeur by associating with #MyHandloomMyPride.

•