The second edition of Handloom Hackathon 2.0 – “Weaving Innovations” concluded successfully at the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), IIT Delhi, with the Ministry of Textiles highlighting the role of technology, sustainability and institutional partnerships in strengthening India’s handloom ecosystem. Organised in collaboration with Textiles Ministry, the hackathon attracted more than 2,500 participants, with 280 participants representing the top 100 shortlisted teams from across the country presenting technology-driven solutions for the handloom sector.
The hackathon served as a national platform for innovators, researchers, faculty members and handloom experts to address challenges related to loom modernisation, design innovation, sustainability, market access and weaver livelihoods through technological interventions. The shortlisted teams showcased solutions aimed at improving productivity, preserving traditional craftsmanship and enhancing the competitiveness of India’s handloom sector.
Speaking at the event, Development Commissioner (Handlooms) Dr. M. Beena said India’s handloom heritage and modern technology complement each other and stressed the need to combine innovation with traditional craftsmanship to improve the lives of weavers. She highlighted that the handloom sector inherently promotes sustainability and circularity while underlining the need for innovation in loom processes, design development and modern marketing.
She also highlighted key initiatives of the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), including the Indian Handmade Portal, an e-commerce platform that enables weavers to showcase and sell their products globally without third-party intermediaries.
Dr. Beena further emphasised the importance of partnerships with premier institutions such as IITs and NIFTs to develop technological solutions that reduce manual effort, integrate scientific precision into traditional weaving processes and improve weavers’ livelihoods.
The event was attended by Dr. Deepti Gupta, Head of the Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering at IIT Delhi, Pankaj Kapadia, Secretary of the IIT Delhi Alumni Association, and Sanjeeva Shivesh, Co-founder of ThinkStartup, reflecting collaboration among government, academia and industry to advance innovation in the handloom sector.
Kapadia highlighted the role of technology in revitalising the handloom sector and welcomed greater collaboration between traditional craftsmanship and innovation.
Dr. Gupta said the proposed Centre of Excellence for Handloom Technology at IIT Delhi, expected to be inaugurated next week in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles, would help integrate technology with handloom, improve standardisation and productivity while preserving the uniqueness of handcrafted textiles.
Shivesh congratulated the finalist teams and encouraged them to continue developing innovative solutions for the sector, describing their selection among the finalists as an important milestone towards creating meaningful social and economic impact.
The Ministry said the hackathon reaffirmed its commitment to promoting innovation, collaborative research and technology-led interventions for strengthening India’s handloom ecosystem. By encouraging young innovators to develop practical solutions, the initiative aims to improve productivity, sustainability and market competitiveness while preserving the country’s rich handloom heritage.
The winners of Handloom Hackathon 2.0 were recognised across four thematic categories—Weaver Livelihoods & Financial Inclusion, Market Access & Digital Integration, Sustainability & Environmental Impact, and Innovation in Design & Operations. The winning solutions included AI-enabled platforms for weaver livelihoods, digital market access tools, eco-friendly dyeing and monitoring systems, and technology-driven innovations for loom modernisation and design.
The winning teams represented institutions including KCG College of Technology, IIHT Salem, IIT Madras, Banaras Hindu University, Sri Eshwar College of Engineering, Kumaraguru College of Technology, KLB IIHT Hyderabad, as well as startup Savinya Studio.
The successful conclusion of Handloom Hackathon 2.0 marks another step in the Ministry’s efforts to strengthen academia-industry collaboration and build a technology-enabled, sustainable and globally competitive handloom ecosystem that supports the long-term growth and prosperity of India’s weavers.
