President Droupadi Murmu will present the prestigious Handloom Awards 2025 during the National Handloom Day celebrations on August 7, recognising outstanding contributions to India’s handloom sector and honouring artisans who have played a key role in preserving and promoting the country’s rich weaving traditions.
The event will be attended by Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, senior government officials, representatives of the handloom industry, master weavers, designers, exporters, artisans and other distinguished guests from across the country.
This year, 22 awardees will be honoured, including three recipients of the Sant Kabir Handloom Award and 19 recipients of the National Handloom Award, for their exceptional work in preserving traditional craftsmanship while advancing innovation, design development, marketing, entrepreneurship and the overall growth of the handloom sector.
The Textiles Ministry announced the awardees under the Handloom Marketing Assistance (HMA) component of the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP). The awards are regarded as the country’s highest national recognition for excellence in the handloom ecosystem and celebrate individuals and organisations that have significantly strengthened India’s handloom heritage and enhanced its competitiveness in domestic and international markets.
The Sant Kabir Handloom Award, the highest honour for handloom weavers in India, recognises artisans who have demonstrated exceptional craftsmanship and lifelong dedication to preserving and promoting traditional weaving practices. The award also acknowledges innovation, mentoring of younger artisans and contributions to community development. Awardees receive a mounted gold coin, a tamrapatra (copper plaque), a shawl and a certificate.
The National Handloom Award honours weavers and other stakeholders for excellence in creativity, product quality, innovation, design development and market outreach. The award aims to encourage continuous improvement in craftsmanship while safeguarding India’s diverse handloom traditions. Recipients are presented with a tamrapatra, a shawl and a certificate.
According to the Ministry, the awardees are selected through a rigorous multi-tier evaluation process. Nominations in the weaving category are scrutinised by zonal, headquarters and central-level selection committees comprising technical experts, experienced professionals and senior government officials. Entries in categories such as design development, marketing, start-up ventures and producer companies undergo evaluation by the headquarters and central-level committees before final approval.
