The ‘Scheme Benefit Distribution Ceremony took place on the third day of the ‘Tana-Bana District Handloom Expo-2023′ at IIM Sambalpur, a prestigious management institution in India.
The Ministry of Textile, GoI provided financial assistance to 21 weavers from Odisha during the event. The esteemed guests present at the ceremony were Mridula Pradhan, a renowned social worker and philanthropist, Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director of IIM Sambalpur, and Nauri Nayak, the MLA from Rengali.
Nauri Nayak, the Chief Guest, expressed his pride for Sambalpur, stating that Sambalpuri cloth is famous worldwide. He believed that the expo would boost the sales of local handicraft products.
Mridula Pradhan, the Special Guest, urged MBA students to start up ventures that promote Sambalpuri handicrafts, as weavers often struggle to obtain fair value for their products. She believed that these start-ups would help promote Sambalpuri handloom products globally.
Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, in his welcome address, emphasized the efforts made by IIM Sambalpur to promote Odisha’s art, culture, and local products at the national level. The institute was striving to create an entrepreneurship culture and benefit local communities by harnessing natural resources. He also mentioned a project called www.bunkarvalleys.com, which aimed to promote local handloom nationally. IIM Sambalpur was partnering with Flipkart and SIDBI to digitally market weavers’ products.
During the expo, 11 weavers received workshed assistance of Rs 1.20 lakh each, while 10 weavers received assistance in the form of lighting units worth Rs 15,000 each. The funds provided by the Ministry of Textile were utilized for the construction of handloom worksheds and the procurement of solar light units.
The ceremony began with the dignitaries lighting a lamp, followed by an exhibition tour led by Mridula Pradhan, who interacted with the weavers. The vote of thanks was proposed by Anand Hindolia, an Assistant Professor.
The IIM Sambalpur-hosted Expo, organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles and the Weavers’ Service Centre, Bhubaneswar, featured over 25 stalls offering a wide range of handloom products.
Visitors had the opportunity to explore and purchase exquisite sarees, bedsheets, dress materials, table runners, umbrellas, and various other fabric-based products crafted using traditional Odisha handloom techniques.
The event attracted a large number of people eager to collect the antique and typical Sambalpuri apparel, fabrics, and home essentials from the demo-cum-sale outlets managed by skilled local weavers.
