Giriraj Singh to inaugurate IIHT Fulia's state-of-the-art campus

The Indian Institute of Handloom Technology (IIHT) Fulia is set to unveil its new permanent campus today. Indian Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh will preside over the inauguration, marking a significant milestone for India’s handloom and textile education sector.

Established to preserve the heritage of Indian handlooms and to meet the technical manpower needs of the handloom industry, the Government of India operates six IIHTs in Salem, Varanasi, Guwahati, Jodhpur, Bargarh, and Fulia. These institutes fall under the administrative control of the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles.

The state-of-the-art campus in Fulia has been developed at a cost of ₹75.95 crore, spanning 5.38 acres. Equipped with modern facilities, the campus boasts smart classrooms, a digital library, computer labs, and specialised handloom and textile laboratories such as Textile Testing, Processing, and Weaving labs, along with general engineering labs. The campus includes residential facilities for staff, as well as separate hostels for boys and girls, ensuring a safe and holistic learning environment, the Ministry of Textiles said in a press release.

As part of the inaugural ceremony, Giriraj Singh will plant saplings under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative. The minister will also present medals and merit certificates to the top ten rank holders from all six IIHTs across the country.

Key highlights of the event will include the launch of a unified website for all six IIHTs and the release of a book titled ‘Computer-aided Figured Graph Designing for Jacquard Weaving.’

The new campus is expected to emerge as a center of excellence, catering to the educational needs of students from West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Sikkim, with a focus on providing employment opportunities, especially for students from rural and semi-urban areas. The institute is also anticipated to enhance livelihoods in Fulia and its surrounding regions.

The event will be attended by various dignitaries including Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Education & Development of Northeast Region, Suvendu Adhikari, MLA and  Leader of opposition, West Bengal, Jagannath Sarkar, Member of Parliament, Ranaghat constituency, Parthasarathi Chatterjee, MLA, Ranaghat Northwest. Bankim Chandra Ghosh, MLA, Chakdaha, Ashim Biswas, MLA, Ranaghat North East, Ashis Kumar Biswas, MLA, Krishnaganj and Dr. M Beena, IAS, Development commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.

The handloom sector, a critical cottage industry in India, employs millions in rural and semi-urban regions.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (HU)