IIT Roorkee, Tripura Mission Join Hands To Revive Handloom Sector
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A significant step towards strengthening women-led handloom enterprises and revitalizing the traditional handloom sector of Tripura was taken today with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission (TRLM) and the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee).
The MoU was signed in the presence of Shri Abhishek Singh, Secretary, Rural Development Department, Government of Tripura, and Prof. A. K. Sharma, Head, Department of Design, IIT Roorkee, by Shri Tarit Kanti Chakma, CEO, TRLM, and Prof. Bibhuti Ranjan Bhattacharjya, Department of Design, IIT Roorkee. The three-year partnership aims to empower 500 women SHG weavers across North Tripura, Unakoti and Dhalai by integrating technology, design innovation, skill development, branding, entrepreneurship and digital market access to transform Tripura’s traditional handloom sector into a sustainable, scalable and market-oriented livelihood ecosystem.
Speaking at the occasion, Shri Abhishek Singh, Secretary, Rural Development Department, Government of Tripura, highlighted the importance of taking research and innovation beyond laboratories and ensuring their effective translation into solutions for communities. He emphasized the need for Lab-to-Field translational research to address real-world challenges and contribute meaningfully to societal development.
Prof. A. K. Sharma, Head, Department of Design, IIT Roorkee, highlighted IIT Roorkee’s vision of engaging with developmental initiatives and communities to create meaningful and sustainable impact. He emphasized the potential of design, technology and interdisciplinary knowledge to contribute to sustainable rural development and livelihood enhancement.
Shri Tarit Kanti Chakma, CEO, TRLM, highlighted the Mission’s recent efforts to collaborate with premier academic and technical institutions to bring knowledge, technology and innovation closer to rural communities. He expressed the importance of strengthening institutional partnerships to create new opportunities and improve livelihoods at the grassroots level.
The collaboration combines IIT Roorkee’s expertise in design, technology and innovation with TRLM’s grassroots network of rural communities and women-led SHGs to strengthen Tripura’s handloom sector. By integrating traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design and business practices, the initiative aims to enhance productivity, product value and market access, while fostering women’s entrepreneurship, sustainable livelihoods and improved income opportunities through a resilient, technology-enabled handloom value chain.
The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Prof. Sourav Arora, Prof. Kalpak K. Kulkarni, and TRLM officials representing various districts of Tripura. The partnership reinforces IIT Roorkee and TRLM’s shared commitment to inclusive innovation, women-led entrepreneurship and sustainable rural development, while connecting Tripura’s rich handloom heritage with contemporary markets through design-led innovation and enterprise development.
