Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday complimented ace Odisha weavers on the occasion of National Handloom Day.

He congratulated Arindra Meher from Odisha’s Sonepur district, who was honored with the ‘Santh Kabir Handloom Award’ for the year 2024, Golekh Meher from Bargarh district and Geetanjali Meher from Sonepur district, who received the ‘National Handloom Award’ today.

Following the weavers’ recognition, Pradhan accompanied by his spouse Mridula Pradhan met the traditional weavers who excelled in crafting tie & dye fabrics, sarees among others worth over world-class quality, and lauded their intrinsic aptitude.

Expressing his gratitude to the Odisha weaver community the Union Minister wrote on X, “On the occasion of ‘National Handloom Day,’ I congratulated Arindra Meher from Sonepur district, who was honored with the ‘Santh Kabir Handloom Award’ for the year 2024, and Golekh Meher from Bargarh district and Geetanjali Meher from Sonepur district, who received the ‘National Handloom Award.’ I also had the pleasure of meeting other weaver friends from Sambalpur and Bargarh districts.

Our traditional handloom heritage is a blend of Odisha’s cultural legacy, craftsmanship, and artistry. Your contribution to carrying forward Odisha’s traditional handloom is unparalleled. Heartfelt thanks to all the talented weavers and individuals who are popularizing handloom, he further wrote.