SHILLONG, Jan 24: A one-day strategic meeting on handloom promotion of the northeastern region was organised by the APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis, India Institute of Management (IIM), Shillong, with the support from the development commissioner (handloom) of the Union ministry of textile and National Institute of Fashion Technology, Shillong as a knowledge partner.
The event was inaugurated on Tuesday by Atul C. Kulkarni, member of the IIM, Shillong’s board of governors as the guest of honour in the presence of D. P. Goyal, director of IIM, Shillong.
Informing the audience, Sanjeev Ningombam, the centre coordinator of the Kalam Centre stated that the purpose of the strategic meeting on handloom promotion is to address stakeholder concerns while concentrating on the agenda item of textiles as driver NER economy.
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Sessions including Innovation and Design Intervention, Marketing Integration of Handloom Products, Business Strategy and Cluster Development were scheduled for the event.
There was an exclusive session on idea exchange where stakeholders presented their ideas and best practices. Participating in the day-long discussion were resource persons and representatives from the business world, governmental organisations, educational institutions, training centres, and about 150 students.
Several prominent figures from the region’s handloom industry were powerfully represented in the discussion including Lovely Baruah, Jesmina Zeliang, Mitrani Kakti, Koijan Mantri, Yangoijam Maxwell, Zosangliana Hangzo, James Evantis Dkhar and C Lalthlenmawia.
Speakers discussed various perspectives on promoting handloom by focusing on the unique identity and culture of specific tribes’ weaving traditions. It was discussed at length to integrate culture and tradition with commerce through design intervention and innovation.
This approach aimed to not only preserve the heritage of these tribes, but also create
sustainable livelihood opportunities for the weavers. By combining traditional techniques with contemporary designs, it was believed that handloom products could appeal to a wider market and ensure the economic empowerment of these communities. The Northeastern region in India has the highest concentration of handlooms, with 14.6 lakh units in five states.
Despite its rich cultural heritage and traditional craftsmanship, the region faces commercial production and fabric output challenges. Improving infrastructure, market access, and skill development can help harness the region’s potential.
One of the session’s main conclusions was that the region needed to develop a market for hand-woven goods. The absence of cooperative societies in the area is a problem that requires our collective attention to restore such societies, which are capable of advancing production. In order to capture a market it is imperative to combine modern and traditional components.
The deliberation emphasized sustainable fashion and consumerism, highlighting low investment as a cause for the lack of innovation. Changing product lineups can create niche markets. The outcome of the deliberation will be proposed as a recommendation for developing a holistic plan aligned with the national mission of handloom policy. Participants agreed to collectively work and continue the discussion forward with more actionable plans. (NNN)
