Bhubaneswar: The state government today announced Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit as the brand ambassador of Odisha Handlooms.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi made this announcement at the Exhibition-cum-Knowledge Sharing for Textile Advantage (EKTA) event, organised on the occasion of National Handloom Day, in the capital city here. 

“Madhuri Dixit will promote Odisha handlooms and support our weavers at national and international levels for a period of one year. With this, we hope that the handloom products of Odisha will find space in the fashion sector in India and abroad,” said the Chief Minister.

According to the Chief Minister, the handloom products of Odisha are a vital part of Odia Asmita (pride). “Our handloom sector is not only an integral part of our economy but also a symbol of our glorious tradition. It has been playing a crucial role in propagating our culture and tradition since the ancient days,” said the Chief Minister.

As many as 1.30 lakh weavers and helpers in all 30 districts of Odisha are engaged in the handloom sector. Several weavers’ cooperative societies have been formed in the state to safeguard the interests of people engaged in the handloom sector, highlighted the Chief Minister.

“The state government is taking steps to set up textile parks at Cuttack, Bargarh and some other places in the state. The state government has received investment intents worth Rs 7,808 crore in the textiles and apparel sector in the recently organized ODISHA TEX-2025 conclave,” said the Chief Minister.

Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta said the state government is committed to the development of handloom sector through incentives and other measures. He also urged the youths to wear handloom clothes and promote the traditional sector.

It is worth mentioning here that Madhuri Dixit rose to fame for her stellar performance in Hindi movies like Tezaab, Saajan, Beta, Dil To Pagal Hai and Hum Aapke Hain Koun.