In July 2025, the Ministry of Textiles (MoT) announced the winners of Sant Kabir Handloom Award and Handloom Awards for 2024, recognizing exceptional contributions by handloom weavers, designers, marketers, start-up ventures, and handloom producer companies in the handloom sector.
- These awards are given annually as part of the Handloom Marketing Assistance (HMA) component under the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP).
Award Presentation:
i.A total of 24 awardees: 5 Sant Kabir and 19 National Handloom Awards, will be felicitated by President Droupadi Murmu on August 7, 2025.
ii.The ceremony will take place at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi(Delhi), as part of the 11th National Handloom Day celebrations.
About Handloom Awards:
i.These awards recognise excellence in the handloom industry, honouring individuals and organizations that set benchmarks in craftsmanship, innovation, and contribution to the sector’s development.
ii.Sant Kabir Award aims to recognise outstanding handloom weavers who have made significant contributions to the growth of the handloom sector.
- The recipient of the award receives a monetary prize of Rs 3.5 lakh, a gold coin (mounted), Tamrapatra (certificate), shawl and Certificate of Recognition.
iii.The National Handloom Award honours weavers with exceptional craftsmanship, dedication and innovation. It aims to encourage weavers to continue their outstanding work and inspire others in the sector.
- The recipient of the award receives a monetary prize of Rs 2 lakh, Tamrapatra, Shawl and Certificate.
Selection Process:
i.The selection process for winners under the weaving category involves a 3-tier process for weavers, which includes Zonal, Headquarters, and Central Level Committees, chaired respectively by Zonal Director, Development Commissioner (Handloom), and Secretary (Textiles), each comprising 11 members.
ii.While, winners for design development, marketing, start-up ventures, and producer companies are selected through a 2-tier process which is followed at the Headquarters and Central levels, each comprising 11 members and chaired by the Development Commissioner (Handloom) and Secretary (Textiles), respectively.
List of Sant Kabir and National Handloom Awards 2024:
| Sant Kabir Awardees | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.No. | Name of the Winner | Weavers’ Service Centre(WSC) | Name of the Award | Skill/Product | |
| 1 | Arindra Meher | Bhubaneswar, Odisha | Sant Kabir Handloom Award | Sant Kabir tie & dye silk saree | |
| 2 | Lakka Sreenivasulu | Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh (AP) | Venkatagiri Jamdhani Sarees (3 samples) | ||
| 3 | Rajendra Sudarshan Ankam | Mumbai, Maharashtra | Unique Weaving Art | ||
| 4 | Anuradha Kuli | Guwahati, Assam | Sant Kabir Handloom Award (Exclusively women) (KDC) | Saree (Mulberry, Eri Spub, Muga) | |
| 5 | Mohammad Hanif Ansari | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (UP) | Sant Kabir Handloom Award (Languishing) | Jamdani Rangkat Saree | |
| National Handloom Awardees | |||||
| 1 | Geetanjali Meher | Bhubaneswar | National Handloom Award (Exclusively for women) KDC | Chitra Kavya- Bandhodya Tie & Dye Silk Saree | |
| 2 | Angom Anita Devi | Imphal, Manipur | Silk Inaphee ‘NamthangKhulhat and Kanchipuba’ | ||
| 3 | Rajasekar Govintharaj | Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu (TN) | Weaving | Kancheepuram Silk Saree | |
| 4 | Golekha Meher | Bhubaneswar, | Traditional Sarabandha double Ikat Suit Saree | ||
| 5 | Kamlesh Kumar | Bhagalpur, Bihar | Bawan Buti Saree | ||
| 6 | Karnati Murali | Vijayawada, AP | Multi Diamond Tie & Dye Silk Saree | ||
| 7 | Akash Kumar Dewangan | Raigarh, Chhattisgarh | Chhattisgarh Tribal Bastar Jala Kosa Saree | ||
| 8 | Dungar Ram | Jaipur, Rajasthan | Pattu Cotton Shawl | ||
| 9 | Bashir Ahmad Ganie | Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) | Kani Shawl | ||
| 10 | Deenaben Ramesh Kharet | Ahmedabad, Gujarat | Kuchchhi Handwoven Shawl (Diamond of Kachchhi Weave) | ||
| 11 | Guda Pavan | Hyderabad, Telangana | Weaving (Young Weavers) | Double Ikat Silk Saree Dyed in Natural Dyes | |
| 12 | Samat Tejsinh Harijan | Ahmedabad | Weaving (Languishing) | Kharad Dari | |
| 13 | Dhoriya Bhojraj Damji | Ahmedabad | Weaving (Divyang Weavers) | Mashroo Bharasai Stole Silk X Cotton | |
| 14 | Simla Debbarma | Agartala, Tripura | Weaving (Tribal Weaves) | Risha | |
| National Handloom Awardees in Other Categories | |||||
| 15 | Narendra Handlooms | Hyderabad | National Handloom Award (Marketing) | Marketing of handloom products | |
| 16 | The Chennimalai Industrial Weaves Co-Op P S Society Limited | Chennai | Marketing of handloom products | ||
| 17 | Jujare Nagaraju | Vijayawada, AP | National Handloom Award (Design Development ) Ind. Designer | Design Development | |
| 18 | Gunjan Jain | Bhubanewar | Design Development | ||
| 19 | Amounee Handloom Venture Pvt. Limited | Ahmedabad | National Handloom Award (Start-up Ventures/ Producer Company) | Start-up Ventures/ Producer Company) | |
About Ministry of Textiles (MoT):
Union Minister- Giriraj Singh (Constituency- Begusarai, Uttar Pradesh, UP)
Union Minister of State (MoS)- Pabitra Margherita (Rajya Sabha Member- Assam)
