Odisha is set to celebrate its rich handloom legacy with grandeur as it prepares for National Handloom Day 2025 and the EKTA (Exhibition cum Knowledge Sharing for Textile Advantage) program.
At a press conference held today at the State Guest House, Handlooms, Textiles, and Handicrafts Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta described Odisha’s weavers as “the soul of our cultural heritage,” emphasising that handlooms are not mere fabric but a living legacy of the state’s traditions.
The celebrations kick off on August 7, 2025, with National Handloom Day, inaugurated by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and graced by Bollywood icon Madhuri Dixit Nene. The event will be followed by the EKTA program on August 8 and 9, alongside a Mega Handloom and Handicraft Exhibition at Janata Maidan, Bhubaneswar, from August 7 to 13.
The exhibition will showcase Odisha’s diverse weaving and artisanal traditions through 60 stalls, a food court, and a play zone. Over 1,500 weavers from Odisha and eight other states will participate, offering live weaving demonstrations, seven knowledge-sharing sessions, and a felicitation ceremony for the State Handloom Award 2023-24. Evening cultural programs from August 7 to 9 will feature Odissi and Sambalpuri folk dances, contemporary performances, fashion shows, and a spectacular laser show, promising a vibrant celebration of Odisha’s heritage.
Minister Samanta, joined by Commissioner-cum-Secretary Smt. Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, Director of Handlooms and Textiles, Premchandra Choudhary, Additional Secretary, Bikramaditya Barik, and other officials extended a warm invitation to the public to join the festivities. The events aim to promote Odisha’s handloom industry, foster knowledge exchange, and celebrate the artisans who keep the state’s cultural heritage alive.
