In a giant step towards taking the weaver community in Odisha forward, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sambalpur has planned a certificate program solely aimed at master weavers from the state. The Small Business Management Training Programme is targeted towards helping weavers acquire much-needed business acumen in their regional language, Odia. This pioneering effort of IIM Sambalpur will make it the first management institute in India where business education is offered in a vernacular language.

The second edition of the 12-day weekend certificate programme is being conducted under the aegis of the Centre for Responsible Business with the support of the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)

About 25 master weavers of western Odisha are now being trained in different fields like design, digital marketing, GST, financial management, operations, and communication skills. This course is designed to take the weaver into the Digital Market through platforms like Flipkart, Amazon, and State Government’s involvement in the ONDC (One Nation One Digital Platform) initiative.

The vernacular language was adopted after realizing that skilled master weavers and artisans required basic business knowledge of subjects like GST, invoicing, and marketing in their vernacular. IIM Sambalpur attempts to combine the rich traditional weaving skills with modern business acumen by offering business education in Odia so that the weavers can have a bigger share in the competitive market without losing their rich heritage.

The speciality of the course would lie in the fact that while it imparts actual business knowledge to the candidates, equal focus would be made on high-quality craftsmanship and the dignity of the art of weaving. The master weaver Dr Meher had exhorted the participants to weave some beautiful sarees to contribute to the treasure house of woven heritage of Odisha.

IIM Sambalpur is at the forefront regarding extending support to the weaver community in Odisha. In this direction, the institute took the initiative to host a scheme benefit distribution ceremony under the Tana-Bana District Handloom Expo-2023, where 21 weavers benefited from the Ministry of Textile, Government of India. The financial assistance will further contribute towards the entrepreneurial ventures of weavers and increase the growth pace of the concerned industry in the region.

The initiatives of IIM Sambalpur thus align with the institute’s mission: to foster entrepreneurship, preserve local culture, and empower economic growth amongst small businesses. It is making a difference in the lives of the weaver community through the Weavers and Artisans Mentoring and Training Programme, aimed at the preservation of rich heritage in Odisha.

Through the certificate programme organized at IIM Sambalpur, not only has it managed to arm weavers with essential business acumen but also provided them an opportunity on digital marketing platforms and opened up possibilities for linkages between the weavers and organizations of higher repute such as Flipkart and SIDBI. This will enable weavers to expand the business and its products across boundaries through online platforms, thereby increasing market reach for the same.

Training or financial help alone does not stop at the weaver community underscored by IIM Sambalpur. From time to time, the institute actively participates in plantation drives and environmental pursuits. The Valedictory Function of the Small Business Management Training Programme was followed by a massive plantation drive wherein students, faculty, and authorities planted 500 trees at the campus. Such an act shows how committed the institution is to sustainable development and making a difference in the environment.

Such is the commendable effort of IIM Sambalpur in empowering Odisha weavers through the vernacular language-based certificate programme. This noble entrepreneurship—combining traditional weaving skills with modern knowledge of business—shall give a platform for Odisha’s weaver community to thrive in the digital age without compromising their cultural ethos. Not only that; it also paved the way for socio-economic development of the region at large by which the weavers benefited.