CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) celebrated National Handloom Day with great enthusiasm. The event was inaugurated by Dr. Kailash M. Rao, Director of the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Bhopal, who attended as the chief guest. In his address, Dr. Kailash M. Rao emphasized the need to preserve and promote the tradition of Indian textiles and crafts. He appreciated such events as important steps in encouraging Indian culture and handicrafts.
NIFT Bhopal is celebrating “Handloom Fortnight” from August 7 to August 15, showcasing the tradition and beauty of handloom crafts. The occasion highlighted the rich heritage of Indian crafts and textiles. A special exhibition of products made by NIFT students, prepared under the guidance of faculty, was organized. This exhibition showcased various handicraft clusters and highlighted the diversity of Indian textile art.
Artisans set up stalls for Handloom Day, including Studio Nui, Sanjana’s Aipan (traditional art of Uttarakhand), silk dupattas and sarees, Kabira Khadi, Shalini Garg’s knit and crochet items, Tanisha Dubey’s bead jewelry, and Mahashakti Seva Kendra’s products. The event aimed to promote handicrafts and encourage local artists.
Parul Dwivedi, a Textile Design student, and other students shared their experiences from the Banaras Craft Resource Development (CRD) program, where they gained firsthand knowledge of traditional weaving techniques and their applications in modern fashion.
Mahashakti Seva Kendra NGO, run by women and dedicated to supporting the victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, showcased products including iPad covers, bags, rakhis, and tote bags made from waste fabric.
The main highlight of the celebration was the Handloom Styling Competition for faculty and students. The competition aimed to promote the significance of handloom in contemporary fashion, encouraging participants to integrate traditional techniques with modern design sensibilities. The event aimed to promote handicrafts and encourage local artists. Attendees appreciated the handicrafts and pledged to support local artists.
The Handloom Day event was successfully organized with the outstanding assistance of Campus Coordinator (CAC) Debjyoti Ganguly and Cluster Initiative Coordinator (CIC) Anupam Saxena.