Jamia Millia Islamia Celebrates National Handloom Day

New Delhi: To mark the occasion of the National Handloom Day, Jamia Millia Islamia and the Union
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting together organized an inter-university debate
completion and cultural programs to promote Khadi and handloom industries.
‘BOL’, the Debating Society of the Jamia Cultural Committee organized the debate
competition on the topic, “This House Believes that it is time for a second
Swadeshi movement in India to promote handloom industry” at the university’s Dr. M. A.
Ansari Auditorium.
50 students debated on the theme in English, Urdu and Hindi bringing the topic alive before a
packed audience that included students, faculty members, officials of the I & B and Textile
Ministries, as well as well-known artisans.
The winners of the debate were Atif Yameen, Areesha Amin and Reim Qamar were adjudged
first, second and third prize winners respectively in the English category. In Hindi category,
the first, second and third positions went to Hashim Siddiqui, Tasneem Fatima and Mukul
Singh respectively. In Urdu category, Mohd. Aslam, Mohd. Qaisar were declared first and
second winners.
Prof Wahajuddin Alvi, Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Languages who was the Chief Guest
on the occasion said, “JMI has been associated with Khadi and Swadeshi movement since its
inception against the British system of education. He said that even after Independence, JMI
was the only university where students and teachers both used to wear hand-woven clothes
and topi.
Mr. Khemraj, nationally-renowned artisan, said that the British who were once enemies
of Charkhaand handloom have ironically embraced it and are now the biggest consumers of
handloom products.
Dr. Rajesh Bali from Directorate of Field and Broadcasting, Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting told the audience that while hand-woven clothes are fast picking up in the West,
there is a need to promote it amongst the masses in the country to give a boost to the
handloom industry.
The Convenor and Co-Convenor of the Debating Society, Dr. Sheema Aleem and Dr. Asmat
Jahan welcomed the delegates and officials of the Ministries.
A cultural programme was also organized by the artists of the Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting to sensitize students about the importance of handloom products.