Manipur, Assam and Sikkim weavers will receive National Handloom Awards 2025 as Northeast artisans gain recognition for traditional crafts.
Imphal, August 6: Four handloom artisans and one producer company from Northeast India will receive national recognition during the 12th National Handloom Day celebrations in New Delhi on August 7, with Manipur’s Takhellambam Rani Devi, Assam’s Runima Chetiya Choudhury, Jyoti Bhuyan and Riti Doley, and Sikkim’s Shital Tamang among the awardees selected for the Sant Kabir Handloom Awards and National Handloom Awards 2025.
President of India Droupadi Murmu will present the awards at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre (RBCC), New Delhi, during the National Handloom Day function organised by the Ministry of Textiles. The ceremony will recognise 22 awardees, including three Sant Kabir Handloom Award recipients and 19 National Handloom Award winners for their contributions to weaving, innovation, design development, marketing and handloom entrepreneurship.
The Northeast region’s representation among the awardees highlights the continued contribution of traditional weaving communities from Assam, Manipur and Sikkim in preserving indigenous textile practices while adapting them for contemporary markets.
Manipur’s T Rani Devi recognised for Shaphee Lanphee in Silk Innaphi
Among the award recipients from the region, Takhellambam Rani Devi of Kakching district, Manipur, has been selected under the Women’s Weaving category of the National Handloom Award for her creation “Shaphee Lanphee in Silk Innaphi.”
Rani Devi, a resident of Kakching Khunao, Awang Keithel Leikai, Kakching district, has brought together two important elements of Manipuri textile tradition through her award-winning work.
Shaphee Lanphee is a traditional Manipuri textile known for its distinctive motifs and cultural importance, while Silk Innaphi is a delicate traditional wrap worn by Manipuri women. Her work combines the traditional patterns associated with Shaphee Lanphee with the elegance of silk weaving.
The recognition places Manipur’s indigenous weaving traditions on a national platform and acknowledges the role of women artisans in sustaining the state’s handloom heritage.
Assam artisans receive multiple recognitions
Assam has received several recognitions in the 2025 National Handloom Awards, with weavers representing different categories of traditional textiles and emerging handloom enterprises.
Runima Chetiya Choudhury — Sant Kabir Handloom Award
Runima Chetiya Choudhury from Assam has been selected for the prestigious Sant Kabir Handloom Award, the highest national honour in the handloom sector.
She has been recognised for her work in Muga Silk Saree weaving. The award acknowledges exceptional craftsmanship, sustained contribution and dedication towards preserving India’s weaving traditions.
Muga silk, known for its natural golden colour and durability, is one of Assam’s most significant traditional textile identities. The craft has historically been associated with skilled weaving communities of the state.
Jyoti Bhuyan — Natural Dyed Eri Silk Saree
Jyoti Bhuyan of Assam is among the National Handloom Award recipients under the women’s weaving category for her work on a Natural Dyed Eri Silk Saree.
Her work represents the growing importance of sustainable textile practices, particularly the use of natural fibres and traditional dyeing methods in handloom production.
Riti Doley — Silk Gero
Assam weaver Riti Doley has been selected under the Divyang Weaver category for her creation “Silk Gero.”
Doley, from Majuli district, represents the contribution of artisans from Assam’s river island region, where traditional weaving continues to remain closely linked with local culture and livelihoods.
Marvella Associates — Handloom Enterprise Recognition
Assam-based M/S Marvella Associates has been recognised under the Start-up Ventures / Producer Company category for its contribution to the handloom sector.
The recognition reflects the growing role of organised enterprises in promoting handloom products, market access and new opportunities for traditional weavers.
Sikkim’s Shital Tamang honoured for Lepcha Daree
From Sikkim, Shital Tamang has been selected for the National Handloom Award under the Tribal Weaves category for “Lepcha Daree.”
Tamang, from Upper Gom in South District of Sikkim, represents the traditional weaving practices of the Lepcha community. Lepcha textiles are known for their distinct patterns, cultural symbolism and connection with indigenous identity.
National recognition for Northeast handloom traditions
The Sant Kabir Handloom Awards and National Handloom Awards are presented under the Handloom Marketing Assistance component of the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP). The selection process involves evaluation by expert committees to identify excellence in craftsmanship, innovation, quality and contribution to the handloom sector.
The recognition of artisans from Manipur, Assam and Sikkim reflects the diversity of Northeast India’s handloom traditions, where weaving remains an important part of cultural expression and rural livelihoods.
National Handloom Day is observed every year on August 7 to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement and promote India’s handloom heritage. The celebrations bring together weavers, artisans, designers, exporters and stakeholders from across the country.
