Soon after former HRD minister Smriti Irani was abruptly shifted from her ministry and given the textiles portfolio following a Cabinet reshuffle, she asked Indians to renew their pledge to wear handloom. She rolled out a social media campaign, #IwearHandloom, to promote Indian handlooms in order to support the country’s weavers. The media did not extensively report this move, but models, actors and former top bureaucrats nonetheless responded to Irani’s call.
Avid runner and former model Milind Soman, actor Jackie Shroff, fashion designer Anita Dongre and ex-Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao were the first celebrities to upload pictures of themselves draped in handloom in support of Irani’s campaign. The list has only been growing longer ever since.
Many viewed her being shifted to the Textile Ministry as a “demotion” and “punishment”. Irani herself, however, dismisses such talk, promising to live up to “the Prime Minister’s faith” in her new role. But the rumour mill kept grinding. Less than a year on, she seems to have kept her word, using social media platforms to promote handloom, thus providing a helpline for weavers. She also took steps to educate their children. And early this week, she organised a fashion show — unheard of in a government setup — starring some of the most celebrated designers in the country, including Manish Malhotra, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Manish Aroroa and Tarun Tahiliani.
“My aim as a Textile Minister is to put India on the world map of textiles and fabric and get Indian weavers their due. The ministry is working with world-renowned designers to make this happen,” Irani told DNA. She refused to talk about her past controversies in the HRD ministry. She agreed that modernising the textile sector — making it viable and profitable without letting its precious traditions lapse — is a challenge. “To create successful market linkages and ensure that weavers weave garments that are bought by the global fashion community, we are working with the National Institute of Fashion Technology and professional design groups to identify leading fashion designers who can mentor weavers,” she says.
Unlike her stint in the HRD ministry, Irani’s spell in the Textile Ministry has been without any brush with controversy so far. According to Textile Ministry officials, her long-term familiarity with people in textiles and fashion design is coming in handy. They also admit that unlike her predecessors, she has been taking a keen personal interest in the industry. “Most of the work that has taken place in the textile sector has happened only after she took charge,” say the officials. “While she had some initial issues with bureaucrats soon after taking charge, things settled down soon after she understood the workings of the ministry in a better way,” one of them told DNA.
One of her aides added, “As far as Irani is concerned, she has mellowed down when dealing with people and situations. For instance, she had certain issues with a bureaucrat who was asked to leave the department. But a few days after changing his portfolio, she restored him to his former position and then even gave him the promotion he was due.”
Initiatives she has stitched together
An Investment Facilitation Cell set up in Mumbai with an aim to help potential investors/entrepreneurs in the textile industry who are at various stages of the business cycle.
Power Tex India — a scheme to give an effective push to the power loom sector and spread it globally. Small weavers and units will be given financial assistance under this scheme.
The announcement of a helpline for weavers, apart from a census for them. The helpline will provide a single point of contact for handloom weavers across the country.
Steps taken to educate handloom weavers. An MoU was signed with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship for upgrading the skills of handloom weavers.
