New Delhi, Oct 9 (KNN) To promote MSMEs, start-ups, and women entrepreneurs in textiles, fabrics & yarns, engineering, handlooms & handicrafts, khadi and handloom, world trade center mumbai in association with IAMKHADI foundation is organizing the first virtual exhibition under the worldtradeexpo.org platform titled - ‘c’.

The exhibition will showcase Khadi and Handloom products and is scheduled to go live from October 17 – November 15, 2020 coinciding with 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.

The Handloom industry of India plays a crucial role in the economic development as it employs over 4.3 million people both directly and indirectly, making it the second largest employment generator among the rural population, after agriculture.

The Handloom sector also promotes women’s empowerment as 77% of workforce in this sector comprises women. India’s export of handloom products was valued at USD 343.69 million in FY19 as compared to USD 226.05 million (till November 2019) in FY20. The US was the major importer of Indian handloom products, with an estimated purchase of USD 93.94 million, followed by the UK, Italy and Germany at USD 17.77 million, USD 16.47 and USD 14.65 million, respectively.

While elaborating on the online handloom Festival, Vijay Kalantri, Vice Chairman, MVIRDC WTC Mumbai said, “India has a distinct competitive advantage in handloom as is evident from the fact that the country is the second largest exporter of these products in the world.

However, the pandemic has severely paralysed the ability of the artisans to produce, market, exhibit and sell handloom products. The resultant crash in business has serious consequences on the survival of these artists, weavers and their ancient techniques. This online exhibition is part of our efforts to create opportunities for these weavers in international market as well as helping the sustenance and revival of this timeless art.”

This virtual exhibition will provide opportunity for artists, weavers, micro-entrepreneurs including women SHGs, clusters and village industries to showcase khadi and handloom products.

More than 100 exhibitors will showcase sarees, fabric material, shawls, stoles, dress material, mats, rugs, carpets along with home furnishing and other accessories from several states in India and overseas. Large number of buyers from nearly 330 World Trade Centers from 90 countries will interact with these exhibitors at this virtual exhibition to forge fruitful collaborations.