Kerala to celebrate National Handloom Day on Aug 7
Minister P Rajeeve to inaugurate state-level event
Trivandrum / August 5, 2025
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug. 05: National Handloom Day will be celebrated in the state on August 7 with a variety of programmes, showcasing the socio-economic significance of Kerala’s handloom sector, marked by long tradition, quality, diversity and adaptability to new trends.
Minister for Industries, Law and Coir Shri P. Rajeeve will inaugurate the state- level celebrations at Hotel Forte Manor here on Thursday at 3 pm. The event is organised by The Directorate of Handloom & Textiles of the Department of Industries and Commerce.
Shri Antony Raju MLA will preside over the inaugural session, which will be attended by Minister for General Education and Labour Shri V. Sivankutty and Shri APM Mohammed Hanish, Principal Secretary, Industries.
Highlights of the celebrations include an exhibition of trendy handloom products, a fashion show by students of Indian Institute of Handloom Technology (IIHT), Kannur, launch of three newly-formed handloom clusters in Thiruvananthapuram district, distribution of state and district level awards, honouring of senior weavers and stage programmes by children of handloom workers.
National Handloom Day commemorates the launch of the Swadeshi Movement in 1905 as part of the freedom struggle with a clarion call to revive India’s time-honoured handloom sector as the pivot of the self-reliance campaign against the British colonial rule.
The Kerala Government has been implementing a slew of schemes since 2016 to promote handloom sector, expand market for products and ensure welfare and social security of workers. The annual production of the sector, which employs 14642 weavers, is estimated to be 52.54 million meters.
The cluster development programme has substantially contributed to the sustainable and integrated growth of the state’s handloom sector. The scheme envisaged formation of clusters comprising 50 to 500 weavers. They are provided financial aid and support for setting up work spaces and other facilities.
The state currently has 539 registered primary handloom cooperative societies, of which 198 are factory-type societies and 341 cottage type units. The cooperative sector accounts for 84.42 per cent of handloom units.
The inaugural ceremony will be preceded by a technical session starting at 10 am, where domain experts will deliberate on live topics such as new trends and designs, significance of geographical indexing of home products, marketing strategies, design and printing and stress-free weaving practices.
The speakers include Shri Abhilash Balan P., Assistant Professor National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Kannur; Shri Brijesh K V, Technical Superintendent IIHT Kannur; Dr. Carolin Baby, Faculty Member IFT Kollam and Shri G. Sukumaran Nair, Senior Lecturer (Retd.) IIHT Salem.
Shri V Gopinathan of Ecotex Handloom Consortium; Smt Simi Jyothish, Corporation Councillor; Shri T. K. Govindan Master, Chairman Hanveev; Shri P V Raveendran, Convener Hantex; Shri M. M. Basheer, General Secretary Kaithari Sahakarana Sangham Association; Shri Parakkuzhi Surendran, Treasurer Kaithari Thozhilali Union; Shri Subodhanan G, Kaithari Thozhilali Congress working president; Shri Pallichal Vijayan, Kaithari Thozhilali Union (AITUC) working president, Shri M. Anandan, Deputy Director, WSC, Kannur and Shri N Sreedhanyan Executive Director, IIHT, Kannur will attend the inaugural session.
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