The National Handloom Day was celebrated today with grandeur at the City Convention Centre, Imphal, under the theme “Threads of Traditions: Weaving Culture Through Handlooms.” The event honoured the vital contributions of weavers and artisans to Manipur’s cultural and economic fabric.

Speaking at the function, Chief Secretary Dr. Puneet Kumar Goel described the occasion as “a special day to celebrate the creativity, self-reliance, and invaluable contributions of our weavers and artisans.” He underscored the deep cultural and social identity woven into the traditional textiles of the state, highlighting iconic handloom products such as the Phanek, Moirang Phee, and Wangkhei Phee.

“Each handloom product tells a story—a narrative of heritage passed down through generations,” he said, noting that over 2.5 lakh handloom workers in Manipur, a majority of them women, continue to drive this sector forward. Manipur, he added, proudly holds more than 750 unique design motifs and 26 recognised handicrafts.

Dr. Goel elaborated on various initiatives by the State Government in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, to support and empower the handloom and handicraft sector. These include:

Cluster Development Projects under the National Handloom Development Programme for infrastructure and skill upgradation.

Marketing and branding support under the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul scheme

Direct Benefit Transfers and Weaver MUDRA loans

Distribution of Handloom Census-based ID cards

Training through institutions like IIHT and NIFT

Promotion of signature products like Moirang Phee (Bishnupur) and Kauna craft (Thoubal) under the ODOP initiative.

Free distribution of looms and accessories, subsidised yarn, and efforts for GI registration and global branding.

Emphasising the government’s aim to blend tradition with technology, he said efforts are underway to connect weavers to digital tools and platforms, including e-commerce, social media, and digital payment systems.