Nagpur: Union minister for textiles Giriraj Singh and veteran actor and MP Hema Malini will inaugurate the Dhapewada Textile Udyog Producer Company Ltd building at Dhapewada, Union minister Nitin Gadkari’s hometown, on Oct 17. The inauguration will be accompanied by a fashion show in which models and the women who weave the sarees will walk the ramp together, showcasing the region’s traditional Karvatkathi tussar silk sarees.The company, conceptualised by Gadkari to support Dhapewada’s traditional weaving community, has been working to revive the legacy of local handloom weaving by providing women with training and employment opportunities. The sarees, woven by local women, will be made available to customers for just Rs 400, despite their market value of around Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000.Sudhir Dive, one of the company’s directors, said the initiative was rooted in Gadkari’s association with Dhapewada and his desire to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for its weavers. Work to support the traditional weaving industry started in right earnest when Gadkari took charge of the MSME ministry in 2019.“Women are given 45 days of handloom and weaving training, following which they can make sarees and other products to earn livelihood. We have completed 12 batches so far,” Dive said. The unit currently has 50 active handlooms producing Karvatkathi sarees made from tussar silk. Each saree takes around 10 days to weave and weighs approximately 600 grams. According to Dive, the sarees have received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, recognising their regional identity.The new building, spread over 13,000 sqft, will accommodate around 100 staff members. The company is also looking to expand the reach of Vidarbha’s handloom and handicraft products. A dedicated space for local handloom and handicraft products is being developed on the third floor of the new Agrovision building at Jai Prakash Nagar.
