13th Annual General Meeting of Indian Technical Textile Association - FY 2023-2024

The Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA) is pleased to provide an overview of the key outcomes and highlights from its 13th Annual General Meeting (AGM), held on 25th September 2023 at the Orchid Hotel, Mumbai. The meeting was conducted under the Chairmanship of Shri. Amit Agarwal. The AGM was conducted as per the program circulated to all stakeholders. Dr. Anup Rakshit, Executive Director, ITTA, welcomed ITTA Members, the Chief Guest, Directors of ITTA, Eminent Speakers & representatives of the Press present in the meeting. The meeting was graced by the honourable Shri. S. P. Verma, Addl. Textile Commissioner & Secretary- Textile Committee, Ministry of Textiles (MoT), GoI as the Chief Guest. He acknowledged the significant growth potential within the technical textiles sector and commended ITTA for fostering industry interactions. He highlighted the importance of addressing industry challenges through research and development collaborations. Shri. Verma encouraged the industry to invest in technical textiles and undertake new R&D projects under the National Technical Textile Mission (NTTM), assuring full support from the textile ministry. Additionally, he stressed the need to reduce bottlenecks and enhance facilitation processes to make exports more competitive. Shri. Verma emphasized the opportunities for joint ventures and innovations to bridge technological gaps in the sector. Shri. S. P. Verma addressing the delegates The “Father of Technical Textiles”, Shri. Yogesh Kusumgar, Chairman, Kusumgar Corporates Pvt. Ltd. was felicitated with The Lifetime Achievement Award in the Technical Textile Industry. This award serves as a testament to his unwavering commitment and extraordinary impact on the technical textile industry. In his address, Chairman Shri. Agarwal expressed deep gratitude to the Ministry of Textiles for their unwavering support and encouragement in propelling the Technical Textile (TT) sector towards holistic growth. He emphasized the significant role played by ITTA and the support received in organizing conferences and exhibitions under NTTM scheme. ITTA also represents numerous policy-making bodies of the Government of India. The Chairman also highlighted the impact of recent government schemes such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Textiles, PM MITRA Scheme, and NTTM, which are expected to stimulate the growth of the Technical Textile Industry. He urged that Govt. may consider extending the period of NTTM scheme for 2 years which will enable the industry to utilize the funds effectively which are allocated by NTTM. During the AGM, new ITTA Board was formed wherein Shri. Avinash Misar, Director & CEO, Texport Syndicate India Ltd., formally took over as the Chairman of ITTA and Shri. Mahesh Kudav, Managing Director, Venus Safety & Health Pvt. Ltd. was elected as the Vice Chairman of ITTA. Shri Amit Agarwal continues to be the ex-member of the Board and will be a guiding force of the association along with Dr. Sundararaman K. S (Ex- Officio Member). During the welcome address, Dr. Anup Rakshit, ED- ITTA highlighted key developments of over the past year. Notably the National Technical Textile Mission (NTTM) Scheme has approved 109 research projects in various technical textile domains, amounting to Rs. 336 Crores, with more projects under consideration. Quality Control Orders (QCOs) were also a focus, with 19 items notified under Geotextiles and 12 items under Protective Textiles. Several other items are under consideration across different technical textile verticals. The AGM also featured a knowledge session aimed at providing valuable insights and industry expertise with two insightful presentations: a) "Concepts on Sustainability and Circular Economy for Technical Textile Industry" by Miklesh Goel, Director PWM-EPR, JB Ecotex Ltd. highlighted sustainability principles, recycling PET bottles, and the importance of RPET as a sustainable raw material. b) "Diverse Applications of Industrial Yarn and Nonwoven - Oerlikon Innovative Technologies & Solutions" presented by Shri. Shridhar Dhumal and Shri. Sudipto Mandal from Oerlikon Textile India Pvt. Ltd. covered various technologies and applications in the man-made fibre and nonwoven industry. Shri Anil Kumar Vasupillai, Additional Executive Director, ITTA, extended a vote of thanks to all the attendees and invitees, reaffirming ITTA's commitment to being the voice of the Indian Technical Textile industry and collaborating with the government on policy initiatives.