Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Thursday appointed Bollywood actor Madhuri Dixit as the brand ambassador of the state’s handloom industry.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi made the
announcement during the inauguration of the Exhibition-cum-Knowledge
Sharing for Textile Advantage (EKTA), held to mark the 11th National
Handloom Day celebrations in Bhubaneswar.
Addressing the gathering, Dixit praised Odisha’s
rich textile legacy and underlined the need to preserve traditional crafts
through innovative platforms like EKTA.
The Chief Minister informed that over 1.3 lakh
weavers and allied workers are directly engaged in the handloom sector across
the state's 30 districts. These artisans are organised through weaver
cooperative societies, self-help groups, and producer groups to conserve the
age-old weaving tradition.
On the occasion, the CM unveiled the Handloom
Day mascot “Resha” and released a short film highlighting the state’s handloom
heritage. Several weavers were also felicitated for their contributions.
The handloom fair at Janata Maidan will continue till August 13.