Bhubaneswar, August 7: The Odisha government has appointed Bollywood icon Madhuri Dixit as the brand ambassador of the state’s handloom sector, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced on Thursday.
The announcement was made during the inauguration of the Exhibition-cum-Knowledge Sharing for Textile Advantage (EKTA), an initiative launched to celebrate and promote Odisha's traditional handloom industry as part of the 11th National Handloom Day celebrations.
Expressing her deep appreciation for Odisha’s rich textile legacy, Dixit spoke passionately about her personal connection with the weaves.
“When I first draped a Bomkai saree or ran my fingers across the finely woven Sambalpuri ikat, I didn’t just feel the fabric—I felt the soul of the weaver,” she said. “These aren’t just textiles—they are living testaments to Odia resilience and creativity. In every motif, there is a story; in every weave, a prayer.”
The EKTA initiative aims to enhance market access, provide training, and offer financial assistance to handloom artisans across Odisha, officials said.
Chief Minister Majhi expressed confidence that Dixit’s involvement would help elevate Odisha’s handloom products onto national and international fashion platforms.
