Union Minister of Textiles inaugurates IIHT SUTRA 2026,

The Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, today organised IIHT SUTRA 2026 – The Inaugural National Conclave of the Indian Institutes of Handloom Technology at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

Conceived as a first-of-its-kind national platform, IIHT SUTRA 2026 brought together policymakers, academia, industry leaders, research institutions, distinguished alumni and students to deliberate on the future of handloom education and its role in strengthening India’s handloom ecosystem.

Organised under the theme “IIHTs: Weaving the Future of the Indian Handloom Sector – Educate. Innovate. Transform.”, the conclave marked a significant step towards repositioning the Indian Institutes of Handloom Technology (IIHTs) as centres of excellence for technical education, research, innovation, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration.

The conclave was inaugurated by Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Textiles, in the presence of Smt. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Textiles, Dr. Beena M., Development Commissioner (Handlooms) and other distinguished dignitaries representing Government, industry, academia and the handloom sector.

A major highlight of the inaugural session was the exchange of three strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) designed to strengthen institutional collaboration across complementary domains:

Grasim Industries Limited – Industry Partnership for curriculum enrichment, internships, industry exposure, skill development and collaborative initiatives.

Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA) – Research and Technology Partnership for collaborative research, testing, innovation, technical support and capacity building.

Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Sambalpur – Academic and Management Partnership for leadership development, entrepreneurship, innovation, faculty development and institutional capacity building.(updated on 12th August 2026)