‘Handloom & handicraft sector is next to agriculture in NE’

July 2, 2023 33 Views No Comment

National Seminar on ‘Handloom and Handicrafts: An Economic Perspective of Indigenous Product in North-East India’

Dimapur, July 2 (MExN): The Department of Economics, Immanuel College, Dimapur organised one-day National seminar on the theme ‘Handloom and Handicrafts: An Economic Perspective of Indigenous Product in North-East India’ sponsored by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) at the College Conference Hall on July 1.

Speaking as the guest of honour, General Manager, NABARD, Nagaland Regional Office, Tiakala Ao pointed out that handloom and handicraft as the most important sector next to agriculture in NE region. She said, “This sector aside from preservation and promotion of unique indigenous products, has immense potentialities in terms of economic prospect, employment opportunities, and also has a tremendous export potentiality in the global market leveraging the e-commerce and digital platform.” She also highlighted the scheme provided by NABARD to six villages to help the local artisans.

Tiakala Ao, GM NABARD

The keynote speaker, Jesmina Zeliang, COA Member, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, founder of Heirloom Naga & Cane Concept, also an Executive Member of Handicraft and Carpet Sector Skill Council spoke on the topic ‘Scopes of Textiles and Crafts of North-East India.’

While emphasising on the impact handloom and handicraft has on the SDGs and its environmental friendly benefits, the speaker laid focus on the status of handloom in the country and its impactful means as a tool over the years. The handloom industry being the largest cottage industry in India, the North eastern part of India alone contributes over 50% of the weavers in the country, she maintained.

On becoming stakeholders in the handloom industry and its scope in both domestic and global market, Jesmina shared about her initial struggles and her three decade of journey in the industry. She urged the house to instill the importance of handloom and to utilise the vast resources available in the region. She concluded by citing the challenges faced by the handloom industry and some measures to address those challenges.

Jesmina Zeliang

The programme had two technical sessions. In the first session the three resource persons – Neitshopeu Thopi, Co- ordinator Nenterprise Chizami Weaves, Phek, Dr Polakshi Bhattacharya, Assistant Professor, Don Bosco University, Guwahati, Dr Trinankur Dey, Assistant Professor, Department of Management and Commerce ICFAI University, Tripura. They presented papers on handicraft and handloom with reference to Chizami Weaves, vocal for local and the handloom sector of NE India and marketing perspective in this sector respectively.

Oral presenters, Kotra Balayogi, Unity College of Teacher Education, Dimapur and Suraj Debnath, Assam University, Diphu Campus emphasised on entrepreneurship education and employment generation which is an emerging avenues for the rural sectors.

The second technical session discussed on areas such as the initiation taken by the Government to empower and preserve cultural heritage, a historical perspective on reconstruction of indigenous nettle (Thebvo) weaving of the Chakhesang Nagas, an analysis of women’s participation in the handloom industry in NE India, economic prospect of handloom in Nagaland and traditional bamboo crafts of the Nath-Yogi community of Sivasagar district of Assam.

The paper presenters were Angshik Sharma Bhiswa, Assam University, Diphu Campus, Dikhrou Dianu, Nagaland University, Brave We’ll Mawthoh, Don Bosco College, Tura, Riongchang Jamir and Ellika N Chishi, Immanuel College, Uttam Nath, Temsunungla, Toshinungla Ao from St John College, Dimapur.

The two sessions was chaired by Pecuvinuo Kape, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, ICFAI University, Dimapur and Rapporteurs were Nchumbeni S Ovung, Research Scholar, St Joseph University and Lunghilang Pamei, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Immanuel College respectively.

Earlier, the inaugural session was chaired by N Eloni, Asst Prof Department of English, Immanuel College and Th Sharatchandra Singh, Principal, Immanuel College have the welcome speech. The programme concluded with a valedictory speech by Ya-am Wangsha, Secretary, Organising Committee, Immanuel College.