From CK Nayak
NEW DELHI, Oct 5: The National Conclave on “Weaving India Together: Natural Fibres, Innovation and Livelihoods from the North East and Beyond” began on a glamourous note with Bollywood actor, producer, and writer Ashutosh Rana unveiling its poster as the official ambassador here on Sunday.
The four-day conclave is a landmark gathering that aligns Northeast India’s rich textile traditions with the country’s vision for sustainable growth. It seeks to showcase the transformative role of organic textiles and natural fibres, reinforcing the government’s call for “vocal for local” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
Rana, clad in a traditional Garo jacket, was honoured with a Borang — a handwoven Garo cloth. His attire, blending the warmth of eri silk with the resilience of pineapple fibre, embodied the message of the conclave: sustainability through tradition, strength through simplicity.
Speaking to media persons after unveiling the poster for the event, Rana expressed his admiration for the Northeast’s indigenous handloom traditions and his emotional connection with the region’s craftsmanship. “I am wearing this Garo traditional jacket for this programme, and I must say it’s an honour to represent the rich weaving culture of the region,” he said.
With India already being a global leader in cotton, jute, and silk, and the Northeast offering unique fibres such as eri, muga, ramie, banana, and nettle, the event highlights the opportunities to scale up these resources for both domestic and international markets.
Women empowerment is a key focus of the event that underscores how weaving and fibre-based enterprises continue to provide rural and tribal women with livelihood security, cultural continuity and dignity of work.
The conclave envisions these initiatives not just as economic activities, but as pathways to enhance happiness, life satisfaction, and sustainable livelihood indices. The event showcases models of waste-to-wealth creation, value addition, and circular fibre economies that reduce environmental impact while creating jobs and enterprises.
Fostering heritage, customs, and traditional skills—particularly among women and youth—will be central to the dialogue, ensuring that India’s cultural wealth becomes an engine for modern innovation and entrepreneurship. Eminent policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs, artisans, and industry leaders have been roped in for a roadmap where natural fibres contribute to economic growth, inclusive development, and national pride.
There are nearly a hundred artisans, weavers, and entrepreneurs showcasing their work, and many more are likely to join. A highlight of the programme is the National Ideathon, which received 47 innovative startup ideas from students across the country. Of these, 10 outstanding ideas have been shortlisted for presentation during the conclave.
India is the world’s largest producer of cotton and jute, the second-largest producer of silk, and a global hub for handlooms and handicrafts. Beyond these dominant fibres, India’s Northeast is home to several unique natural fibres.
These fibres hold immense potential for high-value global markets in sustainable fashion, meditech, geotextiles, and home furnishings. They represent the real spirit of India’s circular economy. And with a very rich bio-diversity and cogent cultural practices, India is poised to become the most wide-ranging fabric weavers in the world.
The global demand for eco-friendly and circular textile solutions is projected to grow exponentially, with the sustainable textile market expected to surpass USD 10 billion in the next decade. This offers India a chance not only to strengthen domestic enterprises but also to emerge as a global leader in natural fibre-based innovation.
The conclave is being organised in collaboration with the Government of Meghalaya, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Ministry of Textiles, and the Deendayal Research Institute (DRI), reflecting a strong institutional synergy to advance the natural fibre agenda at both regional and national levels. Dignitaries, including Dr Mridula Takur Pradhan (Vikas Foundation), Dr Rajbir Singh (ICAR), Atul Jain (DRI), and Dr Anupam Mishra, Vice-Chancellor of CAU, were present on the occasion.
