Panipat, Sep 17 (IANS): Padma Shri awardee Khemraj Sundriyal, a veteran handloom artisan who has dedicated nearly six decades to the sector, on Thursday said that the Narendra Modi-led government has played a significant role in giving a new identity and recognition to India’s handloom industry and weaving community.
Extending his birthday wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sundriyal said that for many years the skills and craftsmanship of numerous artisans and weavers across the country remained largely unrecognised despite their contribution to preserving traditional crafts.
He said that the handloom industry was struggling in the mid-1970s. Subsequently, the Government of India established training centres and introduced initiatives aimed at equipping weavers and others associated with the sector with modern skills and technical knowledge.
Sundriyal credited Prime Minister Modi for recognising his lifelong contribution to the handloom industry through the prestigious Padma Shri award.
His son, Ajay Sundriyal, said that although his father had been engaged in the handloom sector for nearly 60 years, his exceptional craftsmanship had not received the recognition it deserved for a long time.
“It was a proud and emotional moment for our family when we received a personal call informing us that my father had been selected for the Padma Shri,” he said, while also conveying his gratitude and birthday wishes to the Prime Minister.
The story of Sundriyal reflects a broader message that recognising talent, hard work and self-reliance can transform the lives of ordinary families. It also highlights the government’s efforts to honour artisans who have preserved India’s rich cultural and traditional heritage over decades.
Born in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, Sundriyal developed an early interest in textiles and traditional weaving techniques. After undergoing formal training in weaving and dyeing in Srinagar during the 1960s, he chose a path dedicated to craftsmanship and creativity. He travelled extensively across the country to learn indigenous weaving methods from master craftsmen, eventually emerging as one of India’s most respected handloom artisans.
