Bhubaneswar weaver Rasananda Meher has been honored with the National Handloom Award.
Arpit Pattnaik
Bhubaneswar-based weaver Rasananda Meher, renowned for his exceptional craftsmanship, was recently presented with the prestigious National Handloom Award in New Delhi by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar. This esteemed award, established by the Ministry of Textiles, acknowledges and celebrates Meher's remarkable contributions to the handloom industry. His award-winning creation is an exquisite Sambalpuri Bandha (Ikat or tie and dye) saree, adorned with intricate motifs and information relating to the 17 GI-tagged products of Odisha. Notably, the collaborative efforts of researcher Anita Sabat and weaver Prafulla Meher have played integral roles in supporting Rasananda's artistic endeavors. It's worth mentioning that Meher's son, Son Biswanath Meher, previously earned the first National Handloom Award in 2015 for his exceptional Maa saree.
