Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's plan to develop the handloom sector as part of the tourism sector in the state, has got a helping hand. The CSR hand of Microsoft India has set up a digital resource centre at Pochampally which was recently inaugurated by state IT minister K.T. Rama Rao. This centre will help in reviving the dying art of Pochampally textiles and revive some of the traditional forms, so that weavers can continue with their traditional profession. Pochampally, in particular, has gone through a lot, in terms of downgrading of their art and technique, and a number of weavers have also committed suicide here.
Microsoft, partnered with a non-profit organisation Chaitanya Bharathi and since last year have been providing capital funding to the weavers to buy new looms. They also counsel the weavers who have been feeling despondent. Workshops are being conducted to train weavers in natural dyeing and designing skills.
"Digitalising handloom means merely making the weavers computer literate people," said Telangana Handloom Secretary, Sailaja Ramaiyer. "The training in computers will help the weavers to improve their designs, do documentation of their work and also improve their marketing skills," she adds. The resource centre will also support the weavers from time of procurement of raw materials to marketing of the finished products. Microsoft is also setting up a digital empowerment center in the textile park of Pochampally, which will train weavers to use design software. They will also train them to make online sales.
"If the weaver becomes computer literate in relevant areas, he can also start using cadcam design cards to improve designs," says Sailaja. She assures that there won't be any mechanisation in this area. "This is different, a unique piece of art," she said.
While Pochampally uses Ikat, it is the double ikat that the buyer is after and the training given by this centre will certainly help in improving the designs. Revival of old traditional weaving also means using modern technology, which is what Microsoft will do. With the correct software, proper training in the new designs and a procurement policy will definitely help traditional weavers of Pochampally.
In fact, the problem with Pochampally, as with other such traditional crafts, is that people are migrating from the tradition as there is no sustainable livelihood. But with Microsoft's intervention from all sides this will change. To date the project has touched more than 22,000 plus weavers and 9,000 handloom stations in the region.
