National Handloom Day: Govt showcases India’s tribal textile heritage through RISA

The event showcased several GI-tagged tribal textiles including Kotpad Cotton, Tussar Silk, Eri Silk, Muga Silk, Toda embroidery and Dongria embroidery.

On National Handloom Day 2026, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED showcased traditional weaves, embroidery and crafts under the RISA: Timeless Tribal initiative in New Delhi.

The event, organised at the RISA Flagship Store at the State Emporia Complex on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, highlighted tribal textiles not only as products of cultural heritage but also as repositories of indigenous knowledge, traditional skills and sustainable practices passed down through generations.

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The event was inaugurated by Ranjana Chopra, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (STA).

As per a press statement issued by the Ministry, she emphasised the importance of creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for tribal communities through stronger market linkages, enabling them to establish a distinct presence in the niche textile segment and meet the evolving aspirations of a wider clientele. She further highlighted that tribal textiles embody generations of indigenous knowledge, cultural identity and sustainable practices, and reiterated that initiatives such as RISA provide an important platform for preserving these traditions while expanding market access and creating enhanced livelihood opportunities for tribal artisans across the country.

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The inauguration was followed by a panel discussion on “What Makes Tribal Weaves Timeless?”, in which eminent personalities from academia, textiles, design, and crafts shared their thoughts and opinions. The discussion focused on how traditional knowledge can be preserved while introducing contemporary design and creating new market opportunities for tribal artisans.

The session was moderated by Smt. Asha Baxi, Founding Faculty and former Dean, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). The distinguished panel comprised Smt. Jaya Jaitly, renowned craft revivalist and Founder of Dastkari Haat Samiti, Shri Gaurav Jai Gupta, Founder and Creative Director of Akaaro, Shri Gaurang Shah, Textile Artist, Shri Ramesh Menon, Founder of Save the Loom and Ms Anju Modi, Fashion Designer.

The event showcased several GI-tagged tribal textiles from across India, including Kotpad Cotton, Tussar Silk, Eri Silk, Muga Silk, Toda embroidery and Dongria embroidery. Collections by leading Indian designers, including Shri Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Ms Anju Modi, Shri Manish Tripathi, Shri Gaurav Jai Gupta and Ms Sameera Dalvi, featuring textiles sourced directly from tribal weavers, were also displayed.

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RISA also showcased specialised handicrafts, including Longpi Pottery (Manipur), Turtuk Brass Cutlery (Ladakh), Warli Art (Maharashtra), and the world-renowned Dokhra Art (Chhattisgarh).

At the event, tribal master artisans were felicitated, while visitors were given a curated walkthrough of tribal textiles and live demonstrations of Warli and Gond art on tribal textiles.

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