Karnataka - Bangalore   

Weavers get Desi awards

Made in India: A file picture of noted film director M.S. Satyu having a look at the Desi products.

BANGALORE: “Desi has brought back to life one of the greatest heritages of the country.” This was Chief Secretary Sudhakar Rao speaking at the Desi National Handloom Award ceremony at the Chitrakala Parishat here on Saturday.

The awards were given to Babanna of Bellary Sarvodaya Khadi and Village Industries Sangha, Alur, and Dastakar Andhra, Hyderabad. The award comprised a plaque of Mahatma Gandhi, a citation, and Rs. 50,000.

In a modest and warm ceremony, Prasanna, the mover behind Desi and the Charaka Women’s Co-operative, said Desi had strived to be the vital market link between the rural handloom sector and the urban market. Desi, he said, was the bridge between several handloom societies, handicraft producers and women’s self-help groups, spread all over the State of Karnataka. “We advocate handlooms and promote the weaver’s interests. Although there are speculations that there is no place for natural dyes in the market, we at Charaka, see it as the fabric of the future.”

Ashok Kumar C. Manoli, Commissioner of Textiles, Government of Karnataka, launched the bonus scheme to weavers. “Power loom, with its speed and technological support, attracts people. And this is one of the main reasons for a suffering handloom sector. In fact, there were even debates to “de-reserve” handloom saris to power loom ones,” he said. Kshama of Dastakar Andhra, in her talk about the journey of Dastakar Andhra, said it had grown to be a sustainable, viable and environment-friendly enterprise. The exhibition of “Kambli” and other products inaugurated by D.V. Prasad, Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Government of Karnataka will be on till Tuesday.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

A little corner for the village
PU topper has it all figured out
Nursing students hurt in accident
Poll panel to review preparations
A serious contender with people’s support
No post-poll alliance: Advani
Politics is not like cricket, declares Kapil Sibal
Rebel indignant at being overlooked by party On the campaign trail
JD(S) releases documentaries
Yeddyurappa’s remarks come in for criticism
Nearly 1,000 file papers for last phase
Get SSLC results online today
Candidates take help of little cheerleaders
Weavers get Desi awards
BJP upset over censoring of TV commercial

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu