CM Joseph Vijay opens HANDTEX 2026 exhibition, honours weavers on Handlooms Day

PRESS RELEASE At the 12th National Handloom Day function, Hon'ble Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Thiru S. Joseph Vijay inaugurated the HANDTEX 2026 Handloom Exhibition, the "Chemmai Thari" showroom and e-commerce portal, and felicitated the winners of the Best Weaver and Best Designer awards. Presiding over the 12th National Handloom Day function held today (7.8.2026) at Kalaivanar Arangam, Chennai, the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru S. Joseph Vijay inaugurated the HANDTEX 2026 Handloom Exhibition and Co-optex's "Chemmai Thari" showroom and e-commerce portal. He also felicitated 11 awardees selected for the Best Weaver and Best Designer Awards for the year 2025-2026, presenting them cheques totalling Rs.22.25 lakh along with certificates of appreciation. National Handloom Day is observed every year on 7th August in commemoration of the Swadeshi Movement, which was launched on 7th August 1905. The day is observed to honour the cultural, social and economic contribution of handloom weavers. Inauguration of the HANDTEX 2026 Handloom Exhibition To honour Tamil Nadu's rich handloom heritage and recognise the contribution of the weaving community to the state's cultural and economic development, the Hon'ble Chief Minister, at the 12th National Handloom Day function organised by the Handlooms Department of Tamil Nadu and held today at Kalaivanar Arangam, inaugurated the HANDTEX 2026 Handloom Exhibition, which will run for seven days from today (7.8.2026) to 13.8.2026. At this exhibition, world-famous handloom products manufactured by handloom weavers' cooperative societies across Tamil Nadu — including Kanchipuram, Arani and Thirubuvanam silk sarees, Coimbatore Kora cotton sarees, Negamam cotton sarees, Salem Sengal-pattu (fine cotton) dhotis, and household textile items — are on display for sale, along with famous handloom products from other states such as Bandhani, Mrignayanee, Gujarati and Paithani. Presentation of Best Weaver and Best Designer Awards At this function, in recognition of excellence in craftsmanship, innovation and outstanding contribution to preserving Tamil Nadu's handloom heritage, the state-level Best Weaver Award in the Silk category for 2025-2026 was presented as follows: First prize to Thiru S.L.P. Suresh, member of the Kumbakonam Thirubuvanam Silk Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society; second prize to Thiru Manickam Munusamy, member of the Kanchipuram Silk Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society; and third prize to Tmt. S. Jayasree, member of the Kanchipuram Kamatchiamman Silk Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society. In the Cotton category, the Best Weaver Award: first prize to Tmt. E.R. Nagalammal, member of the Paramakudi Murugan Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society; second prize to Thiru Se. Ra. Ganapathy, member of the Salem West Valasi Primary Cotton and Pure Silk Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society; and third prize to Thiru A. Mohan, member of the Salem Thiruvalluvar Primary Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society. The state-level Best Designer Award: first prize to Tmt. Padmavathy Thirumalairayan, member of the Thiruvarur Kuraitex Cotton-Silk Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society; second prize jointly to Thiru M. Mahesh Kumar, member of the Kumbakonam Thirubuvanam Silk Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society, and Thiru V. Parthiban, member of the Thiruvannamalai Arani Silk Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society; and third prize jointly to Thiru N. Karthik, member of the Tiruppur Kovilvazhi Cotton and Silk Primary Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society, and Tmt. M. Prema, member of the Tiruchengode Rasipuram Silk Primary Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society. In all, the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu presented 9 awards to 11 awardees, with cheques and certificates of appreciation totalling Rs.22,25,000. Inauguration of "Chemmai Thari" showroom and e-commerce portal As part of the Government of Tamil Nadu's "Semmai Thamizhagam" vision programmes, and with the objective of marketing the products of Tamil Nadu weavers, the Hon'ble Chief Minister inaugurated Co-optex's "Chemmai Thari" showroom and e-commerce portal. At this function, at a themed exhibition hall set up with the assistance of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Chennai, handloom products created by state award-winning weavers and designers, along with 11 Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged handloom varieties of Tamil Nadu — Kanchipuram silk sarees, Bhavani jamakkalam, Madurai Sungudi sarees, Salem Sengal-pattu dhotis, Coimbatore Kora cotton sarees, Arani silk sarees, Thirubuvanam silk sarees, Karaikudi Kandangi sarees, Negamam cotton sarees, Veeravanallur Chettinad cotton sarees, and Uraiyur cotton sarees — were attractively displayed. The function was attended by Hon'ble Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Thiru P. Sengottaiyan, Hon'ble Minister for Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles and Khadi Thiru M. Vijay Baalaji, Hon'ble Minister for Social Welfare and Women's Rights Tmt. Ku. Jagadeeswari, Hon'ble Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Thiru C. Ramesh, Hon'ble Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Thiru Se. Madhan Raja, Hon'ble Minister for Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Thiru Sreenath, MLAs, chairpersons of Boards, Chief Secretary Dr. M. Vaikundam, IAS, Principal Secretary of the Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles and Khadi Department Thiru T.N. Sengadesh, IAS, Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Khadi and Village Industries Board Dr. C. Suresh Kumar, IAS, Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society (Co-optex) Tmt. Se. Innocent Divya, IAS, Director of Handlooms Tmt. P. Uma Maheswari, IAS, Director of Sericulture Thiru Se. Vadhees, IAS, and other senior government officials. Released by: Director, Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Chennai-9