TFMC’s 17th Edition of IT Handloom Mela held

Hyderabad: The Telangana Facilities Management Council (TFMC) in association with IT, E & C, Dept, Govt of Telangana, HYSEA, SCSC, TESCO, organized its 17th Edition of IT Handloom Mela at Phoenix Arena, Madhapur on Monday.
 
The one day Mela was organized with the theme Work From Home, Work From Office, Work From Village or Work From Anywhere, but wear ‘Handlooms Every Monday’. Some Facilities Management professionals and IT employees wearing Handloom clothes, blazers held a placard #MyHandloomMyPride.
 
Prof V. Venkatramana, Vice Chairman, Telangana State Council of Higher Education, Mr Srinivas Rao, COO, HYSEA, Mr. Srinivas Rao Thandra, Dy CRO, Government of Telangana, Dr. Shantha Thoutam, OSD, Textiles & Handicrafts, Government of Telangana; Mr. CN Rao, CFO of Divyashree NSL Infrastructure Ltd, Mr Satyanaraya Mathala, President of TFMC, Swarnalatha, an HR Professional; Swapna, Surekha from IKEA and many other graced the occasion.  
 
Prof V. Venkatramana, Vice Chairman, Telangana State Council of Higher Education and Dr. Shantha Thoutam, OSD, Textiles & Handicrafts, Government of Telangana inaugurated the mela.
 
IT Minister KT Rama Rao has given a call couple of years back urging IT Employees to wear Handlooms at least one day every Monday. And the practice continued. TFMC has organised 16 Handloom exhibitions at various IT facilities across the city and IT employees purchased Handloom Clothes worth Rs two crore. It stopped due to the Pandemic. This was the first time a Handlooms Expo was organized in the IT Corridor in Madhapur after the pandemic hit. It was organized with limited invitees adhering to the covid protocols.
 
The reason for it was to Celebrate National Handloom Day and revive its pledge to support Handlooms and Weavers and promote them. Another reason also sends a message that Work From Home, Work From Office, Work From Village or Work From Anywhere, but do wear ‘Handlooms Every Monday’, informed Satyanarayana Mathala, President of TFMC.  
 
The Mela had 2 full-fledged stalls and one table stall. It featured handloom masks, Gadwal, Pochampally, Siddipet, Ikkat Pattu Sarees, Handicraft Products, Handloom Kurt has, Jute Bags, Kalamkari bed sheets, dress material, Mangalaguri Cotton Sarees, Kuppadam Pattu Sarees, dresses made from sarees and many others. Many IT employees are seen buying dress material, sarees, footwear and blazers.  
 
Handloom clothes are more comfortable than power loom clothes. They are reliable, eco friendly and last long said Dr. Shantha Thoutam, OSD, Textiles & Handicrafts, Government of Telangana;
 
An initiative of TFMC, it was organized as part of the series of IT Handloom Melas. 300 IT folks were expected to visit during the entire day. 
 
The mela which goes close to IT employees enables them to visit, explore and purchase handloom clothes and start wearing them every Monday. But the Pandemic denied that opportunity till now. This is a small effort to continue that initiative, said Satya. The response was good.  
 
Wearing Handloom clothes once a week every Monday goes a long way in protecting the art form and helping those dependent on it, he added.
 
Service Minded Facilities Management Professionals are committed to making every IT Professional wear Handlooms at least one day a week. Their initiative and effort are appreciated and encouraged by ITE & C Dept, Govt of TS with an award. Their sustained efforts clocked a sale of Rs two crore worth of Handloom Clothes. We will continue full fledged Handloom Melas once normalcy is restored, said Satya.