Imphal: Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, today graced the State-level celebration of National Handloom Day 2026 in Imphal. The event, organised by the Department of Textiles, Commerce & Industry, Government of Manipur, under the theme ‘Threads of Tradition: Weaving Culture Through Handloom’, celebrated the State’s rich and vibrant handloom heritage while recognising the contributions of its weavers and artisans.
Chief Minister of Manipur, Yumnam Khemchand Singh; Chief Secretary, Puneet Kumar Goel; Additional Chief Secretary (Textiles, Commerce & Industry), Anurag Bajpai; Padma recipient, National Handloom Awardee and other dignitaries attended the programme.
The event also included an exhibition showcasing a diverse range of Manipur’s handloom products. During the programme, the Governor, along with other dignitaries, released a Data Book on Handloom and a coffee table book titled Threads of Heritage: Traditional & GI-Tagged Handwoven Stoles of Manipur. He also conferred the
State Awards on outstanding handloom weavers and handicrafts artisans for the year 2025–26, and distributed financial assistance to the awardees under the relevant government scheme. In addition, the winners of the Best Cluster Designer Award for Home Furnishing at the National Handloom Designers’ Conclave 2026 were felicitated.
Addressing at the event, Governor said that National Handloom Day is not only an occasion to honour the dedication of the State’s weavers but also an opportunity to reaffirm the collective commitment to preserving, promoting and advancing Manipur’s handloom sector for future generations. He stated that the State’s handloom sector embodies its cultural identity while holding immense potential for economic growth and employment. Emphasising the need to combine tradition with innovation, he called for strengthening the entire value chain through improved infrastructure, quality certification, branding, digital commerce and enhanced market access. Governor also stressed the need to reinforce public awareness of Manipur’s GI-tagged handloom products to protect their authenticity, enhance their value and expand their reach in national and international markets. The Governor noted that supporting the handloom sector is vital for women-led development, sustainable livelihoods and the preservation of the State’s rich cultural legacy.
Governor also congratulated Takhellambam Rani Devi of Kakching district on receiving the National Handloom Award 2026 in the Women’s Weaving category for her exceptional work on ‘Shaphee Lanphee in Silk Innaphi’, and honoured the State Handloom Award recipients and the handloom weavers of Manipur for their invaluable contribution to preserving the State’s rich weaving tradition, describing the recognition as a proud moment for Manipur and a testament to the remarkable skill, dedication and resilience of its weaving community.
Members of the Legislative Assembly, senior civil and police officials, members of the weaver community, artisans, representatives of cooperative societies, stakeholders from the handloom sector and other distinguished guests attended the event.
