The vibrant spirit of Odisha’s handloom heritage shone brightly today at Resha Bhawan in Mancheswar as the Department of Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts, Government of Odisha, hosted the concluding ceremony of the 12th State-Level National Handloom Day 2026.
Departmental Minister Pradip Bal Samanta, addressing the gathering, paid rich tribute to the state’s weavers, calling National Handloom Day a celebration of their “skill, dedication, and resilience.” He declared, “Odisha’s handloom is our identity, culture, and living heritage. Every weave — whether Sambalpuri Bandha, Bomkai, Khandua, Kotpad, Berhampuri Patta, or Gopalpur Tussar — carries the stories of our land, our people, and our timeless traditions.”
Highlighting the state government’s commitment to the sector, the Minister outlined major initiatives. Under the Mukhyamantri Bayan Silpa Bikas Yojana, ₹490.95 crore has been allocated over five years for overall textile sector development. The Mukhyamantri Hastatanta Bikas Yojana is establishing raw material banks, honouring weavers, building infrastructure, and expanding market access. For the silk sector, the Mukhyamantri Resham Bikas Yojana targets an investment of ₹274 crore over five years.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar spoke on the history of National Handloom Day and the department’s ongoing projects. An evocative audio-visual presentation showcased Odisha’s rich handloom and textile traditions.
Foundation stones were laid for several key projects: a Production and Sale Centre for Sambalpuri Bastralaya at Sohella in Bargarh, a rearing house at the Eri Seed Station in Khordha, a multipurpose facility centre at Odisso WCS in Jagatsinghpur, a Resham Odisha showroom at Nimapada in Puri, a Common Facility Centre (CFC) for weavers and sales staff, and the renovation of the Boyanika showroom in Dhenkanal.
As part of the celebrations, the State-Level Grand Finale of district-level hackathons recognised innovation in the sector. The Ganjam district team — U. Adarsh Kumar, A. Ganapati, and A. Kusum — secured first place.
Guests also planted saplings, aligning with the government’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative and its vision of environmental protection.
The event was graced by Boyanika President Prakash Meher, SERIFED President Bhagirathi Nanda, Director of Textiles and Handlooms Surya Narayan Pattnaik, and Odisha Crafts Council Chairman Santosh Kumar Mohapatra.
Padma Shri awardees Sarat Kumar Patra and Gobardhan Panika; a long list of Sant Kabir awardees including Kshetra Meher, Bhikari Meher, Surendra Meher, Dayalu Meher, Bhaktaraj Meher, Kalabati Meher, Swarnalata Meher, Debaki Meher, Harishankar Meher, Makardhwaja Meher, Rushabha Meher, Iswar Meher, Ramakrishna Meher, Harilal Meher, Ram Meher, Prahlad Meher, Arindra Meher, and Shyam Sundar Karan; and National Awardees Laxmipriya Das, Raj Kishor Mahanayaka, Chakrapani Patra, and Bharata Meher were felicitated. Officials from various districts were also recognised for outstanding performance.
Director Surya Narayan Pattnaik proposed the vote of thanks, bringing the colourful ceremony to a close and reaffirming Odisha’s unwavering support for its handloom artisans.
