On the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, the FICCI Rajasthan State Council hosted a webinar on the “Future of Handloom & Khadi”, bringing together experts and stakeholders to discuss ways to revive and promote the sector.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Arvind Mayaram, Economic Advisor to the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, emphasized the need to create strong consumer demand for handlooms and khadi. “Consumerism drives the world today. We must make people aspire for and desire khadi and handloom products. These should be seen not just as symbols of tradition, but as thriving economic activities,” he remarked.
Dhiraj Srivastava, Commissioner of the Rajasthan Foundation, highlighted the rising popularity of handlooms, noting that the current interest in handmade fabrics is unprecedented. He stressed that the time is right to strengthen the entire value chain — especially in areas like design innovation and marketing — to unlock the true potential of the sector.
Adding to this, Laila Tyabji, Chairperson of Dastkar, called for taking khadi beyond the confines of Khadi Bhandars. She urged for nationwide campaigns, advertising initiatives, and wider exposure across media and platforms to connect handloom products with new markets and younger consumers.
Presenting a structured growth model, Kishore Shah, Co-Founder and Director of Khadi London, proposed the “3D framework” — Decentralised, Diverse, and Democratic. He suggested the sector should aim for 400 successful clusters and work to raise handloom and khadi’s market share from 5% to 25% by 2025.
Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General of FICCI, underlined that Indian handlooms are globally admired for their craftsmanship, weaving, and printing traditions. He noted that sustaining these practices is vital to preserving India’s cultural heritage.
In his welcome address, Randhir Vikram Singh, Co-Chairman of the FICCI Rajasthan State Council & CMD of Mandawa Hotels, pointed out that the handloom sector is not only culturally significant but also a major source of employment and revenue generation.
Speaking on the growing global shift toward eco-friendly products, Wandana Parnami, Chairperson of FICCI Ladies Organisation – Jaipur Chapter, said that today’s heightened environmental awareness is increasing the demand for sustainable fabrics. This focus on sustainability, she added, will play a crucial role in the revival of handlooms and khadi.
The webinar concluded with a collective call to reposition khadi and handloom as both sustainable lifestyle choices and engines of rural economic growth.
