SILCHAR, Aug 6 - Along with the rest of the country, the National Handloom Day was observed at the Assam University by the Department of Field Publicity, under Department of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India on Saturday.
According to sources, besides the Central University, the day was celebrated across 70 other educational institutes across the country.
PWD Minister Parimal Suklabaidya inaugurated the celebration along with Joint Registrar Dr PK Nath, Dean Students Welfare Prof Pranab Behari Mazumder, and Proctor of the university Dr Paritosh Mondal, news in-charge of All India Radio Sanjeev Sharma and Field Publicity Officer Saswati Bhattacharjee.
Local weavers Narayan Debnath, Tapas Biswas and Gopal Debnath from Irongmara also joined the programme at the Bipin Pal meeting ground.
Sharing some of his experiences of watching the weavers very closely carrying out their chores, the PWD Minister said, �In the phase of technology-driven textile sector, handloom still occupies a special place and the efforts of the weavers have never gone out of fashion�. He urged upon the Department of Field Publicity to encourage the weavers in their work so that they do not quit the profession.
Earlier, an audio visual clip on handloom was shown to the participants and a quiz competition on the handloom activities was organised in which students from the various departments of the university took active part.
Vice Chancellor of Assam University Prof Dilip Chandra Nath attended the closing ceremony of the celebrations and gave away the prizes to the winners of the quiz contest. He also felicitated the women weavers Sumita Sinha and Paswotlei Devi from Ramnagar.
