Gadwal: On Wednesday, District Collector B.M. Santosh and Gadwal MLA Bandla Krishnamohan Reddy kicked off National Handloom Day celebrations by lighting a lamp at the Collector’s office. The event began with a rally from Ambedkar Chowk to the Collector’s office. Participants included the District Collector, Additional Collector, district officials, handloom weavers, and artists. They all pledged to wear and promote handloom clothes to preserve this heritage art form.
During the event, students from degree and junior colleges showcased handloom garments in a fashion show, which drew everyone’s attention.
District Collector B.M. Santosh highlighted the superiority of handloom over power loom and the fame of Gadwal handloom sarees. He explained that the rally aimed to showcase the skills of handloom weavers and encourage everyone to wear handloom sarees. He urged the youth to learn and appreciate handloom weaving and mentioned that fashion shows help promote Gadwal handloom textiles to different regions. He encouraged people to wear handloom garments to raise awareness and help preserve the handloom sector. He also announced plans to market Gadwal handloom products globally through online platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, and Myntra. The Collector praised the students who participated in the fashion show for their elegant and traditional presentation of handloom garments.
Gadwal MLA Bandla Krishnamohan Reddy noted the unique identity of Gadwal sarees worldwide and mentioned their geographical indication status. He pledged to work towards establishing a handloom park with the government’s support. He highlighted various welfare schemes implemented by the Telangana government for weavers and emphasized that events like fashion shows can further enhance the reputation of Gadwal sarees. He congratulated the students who participated in the fashion show.
The event also included the felicitation of skilled handloom weavers, students who participated in the fashion show, and winners of essay writing and speech competitions from various schools and colleges. Bankers were honored with mementos and certificates, and a cheque for low-interest loans was presented to the handloom weavers.
Additional Collector Narsing Rao, Assistant Director and Handloom & Textiles Officer Govindayya, President of Gadwal Handloom Cooperative Society Ramalingeshwara Kamale, councilors, district officials, handloom weavers, related officials, and students participated in the event.
