India should become fashion capital of world: Goyal

Goyal urged the designers to work in synergy towards the goal of ensuring that each of the 75 lakh identified craft people earns Rs 1,000 more every month

India should ultimately become the fashion capital of the world and mark its presence globally by having its products displayed alongside prominent fashion houses, Union Minister Piyush Goyal has said.

The Minister for Textiles and Commerce and Industry earlier this week chaired a meeting with designers, who brainstormed ideas on making India the fashion capital of the world and empowering the country's artisans and weavers.

The minister urged the designers to work in synergy towards the goal of ensuring that each of the 75 lakh identified craft people earns Rs 1,000 more every month.

He said the next is the identification and protection of India's craft and heritage.

The minister also called upon the entire ecosystem of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) with over 30,000 alumni to get together to bring in a change in the craft ecosystem.

"Each alumnus should adopt a craft person and devote time to educate the non-privileged section of the society on various aspects of design, management and technology," he added.

"Taking pride is important and without prejudice, one needs to take the ideas forward for the sake of the progress of the nation. Collaboration is the key point and all together can make Indian craft presence felt global, and all will benefit," Goyal said.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the collaboration of designers and craft people and how interventions of technology and marketing strategies can increase the scalability of the craft.

"Protection of craft and craft people, sustenance of craft were some of the views put forth by the designers. Craft should be given the status of luxury as it is the labour of love," according to an official statement.

Goyal appreciated the designers for their point of view as well as their passion for Indian crafts. He emphasised that the art, craft, culture, tradition and heritage of a nation should be respected.

The minister assured the designers that all the points raised or discussed are well noted and will be taken into account in the way forward.

The idea of wearing khadi/ handloom one day a week and the sense of designers having pride in the nation was appreciated. "It opens up a lot of possibilities and that the designers have a huge role to play," he said.

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