Our Correspondent
Imphal, Aug. 7 (EMN): Olympic silver medallist and Padmashree Awardee, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu was felicitated with a cash award of INR 5 lakh during the 7th National Handloom Day at the conference hall of Minister of Textiles, Commerce and Industries in Imphal on Saturday.
Manipur Textiles, Commerce and Industries Minister, Thongam Biswajit Singh, who attended the celebration as the chief guest, also launched e-Texmanipur, an electronic platform from the supply of machinery to marketing and sale of textile related products.
In his brief speech, Singh said that the department was processing to get more GI tags for traditional necklace -- Marei Pareng , Kouna Products, Senga and Khamen Chatpa, etc., which will help in preserving and identifying the unique traditional products after listing the traditional attires including Shaphee Lanphee, Moirang Phee, Wangkhei Phee under Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
Stating that handloom and handicraft was an integral part of our society, touching every household of the state, he said that the establishment of Manipur Spinning Mill is now under active planning with experts for successful operation. He also emphasised the need to promote and help local artisans and weavers to generate employment in the state, as handloom comes second after agriculture in terms of livelihood in the State.
Speaking at the occasion, Mirabai Chanu said that being a sportsperson and wearing traditional attire is a blessing. Thanking all the weavers and artisans of the state, she expressed her desire to use local handloom products and promote the traditional attire.
As part of the celebration, state awards for Handloom and Handicrafts were also distributed. Merit awards to six handicraft artisans and two handloom weavers were conferred. The Directorate also encouraged 10 other handicraft artisans and six handloom weavers with cash prizes for their contribution in the promotion of handloom and handicrafts.
The National Handloom Day was celebrated to commemorate the formal proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement and passage of the Boycott Resolution to boycott the Manchester cloth and Liverpool salt on August 7, 1905 in a massive meeting held in the Calcutta town hall. The ministry of Textiles considers this occasion as a symbolic date for celebration of the National Handloom Day.