10th National Handloom Day, Background and Viraasat Exhibition

The Nation celebrates the 10 National Handloom Day on 7th August 2024. The Day is observed to acknowledge and honour the weaving community in India and their invaluable contribution to India’s socio-economic development. The handloom sector, which is a symbol of India’s rich and varied cultural heritage, is the second largest employer in India after the agriculture sector.

Background to the National Handloom Day 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in 2015 that the 7th of August will be observed as National Handloom Day every year. This day was chosen to highlight the historical Swadeshi movement, which was launched on 7 August 1905.

The British proposed dividing Bengal to crush the nationalist movement. In July 1905, the British government announced the creation of a new province of "Eastern Bengal and Assam by dividing the Bengal province.

To protest the division of Bengal, Krishnakumar Mitra's Bengali journal Sanjibani proposed the boycott of British goods and promotion of  Swadeshi goods.

This idea of swadeshi was endorsed at the meeting of prominent people at the Calcutta town hall on 7 August 1905.

This proposal was endorsed at a meeting on 7 August 1905 at the town hall. 

The first National Handloom Day was observed in Chennai by the Prime Minister on 7 August 2015.

10th National Handloom Day Celebration

The Union Ministry of Textile is organising the 10th National Handloom Day event on 7th August 2024 in New Delhi. 

Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice President of India, will be the Chief Guest on the occasion.

The Sant Kabir Awards and National Handloom Awards will be conferred to handloom weavers for their outstanding contributions to the handloom sector during the function.  

VIRAASAT Exhibition in New Delhi  

The National Handloom Development Corporation Ltd. has organised the “VIRAASAT" handloom exhibition in New Delhi on the occasion of the 10th National Handloom Day.

The “VIRAASAT" exhibition will be held from 3 to 16 August 2024. Handloom products from various parts of the country are on display and for sale at the exhibition.