Bollywood diva Madhuri Dixit was appointed as the brand ambassador of Odisha’s handloom industry by the state government today, August 7.
The announcement was made by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at the inauguration of the Exhibition-cum-Knowledge Sharing for Textile Advantage or ‘EKTA’, an initiative to promote handloom products, marking the 11th National Handloom Day celebrations in the state.
Addressing the event, Dixit expressed her admiration for the rich textile heritage of Odisha and emphasised the importance of preserving traditional crafts through modern platforms like ‘EKTA’.
“When I first draped a Bomkai saree, or ran my fingers across finely woven Sambalpuri ‘ekat’, I just did not feel the fabric, I felt the soul of the weaver, the rhythm of looms and legacy of generations speaking through silent patterns,” the Bollywood actress said.
“These are not just textiles or handicrafts, they are living testaments to Odia resilience, creativity and timeless bond between the art and the identity. In every motif, there is a story, in every art, there is a prayer and every artist’s eyes are a dream, to be seen, valued and passed on,” she said.
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Speaking at the event, CM said that the handloom is a major pillar of Odia identity.
“Our handloom sector is not only an economic pillar but also a symbol of national pride and dignity. Starting from ancient maritime trade to the current global fashion platform, our weaving has always glorified excellence, spirituality and culture,” the Chief Minister said, adding the state government aims to improve the socio-economic condition of weavers through the Handloom Development Scheme.
Chief Minister expressed hope that with the active support of Madhuri Dixit, clothes made from Odisha handloom will gain recognition in the fashion world of the country and abroad.
The Chief Minister said that more than 1,30,000 weavers and auxiliary workers are directly engaged in the handloom sector in 30 districts of Odisha. “Our weavers are working to preserve the heritage of weaving by organizing themselves through primary weavers’ cooperative societies, self-help groups and producer groups,” he said.
At the largest Odisha Textile Conclave in Eastern India, 33 MOUs have been signed with an investment of Rs 7,808 crore for the establishment of textile industry in the state, and through this, 53,300 employment opportunities will be created in the textile sector, he said.
He further said that the government is ready for infrastructure and institutional support. “We are developing handloom parks with common facilities like dye houses, warehouses, design studios, quality control laboratories in Bargarh and Cuttack. More than 40 master weavers of Odisha have been given national awards for excellence and innovation,” he said.
The Chief Minister called upon to respect the weavers and use the clothes they make, which were started 120 years ago to carry forward the indigenous movement, even today.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister unveiled the Handloom Day mascot “Resha” and a short film based on the handloom industry. Along with this, the Chief Minister also promoted the handloom weavers of the state.
It is worth noting that Handloom Mela started from today and will continue till August 13 at Janata Maidan.
