Gandhinagar : Reflecting the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s mantra of Har Ghar Swadeshi, Ghar Ghar Swadeshi, the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference at Marwadi University in Rajkot will highlight the expanding industrial, economic, and cultural opportunities within the Kutch and Saurashtra region.
Tangaliya, the 700-year-old handloom art native to Gujarat, is celebrated for its distinctive raised dotted patterns known as dana. Practised with exceptional skill by the Dangasia community of Surendranagar, this intricate art form involves carefully twisting extra-weft threads around warp threads to create geometric motifs that are woven directly into the fabric. The technique’s rarity, precision, and deep cultural significance of the art have earned Tangaliya the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) status, reaffirming its authenticity and safeguarding its timeless legacy.
The exquisite art of Tangaliya weaving, an ancient craft from Gujarat, once faced the brink of oblivion, threatened by changing times and mass production. Once a potentially lost art, this 700-year-old tradition is now experiencing a remarkable global resurgence, perfectly aligning with the world’s growing appreciation for ancient artifacts.
Gujarat’s Tangaliya artisans are gaining remarkable global attention at a time when the world is recognising the value of handcrafted, sustainable, and culturally rooted products. Leading this revival is Lavjibhai Parmar, an Indian weaver artist and a master of the traditional Tangaliya weaving style. In 2025, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri for his outstanding contribution to the field of arts. He has dedicated more than four decades to preserving and promoting this seven-hundred-year-old craft. To ensure that future generations carry this legacy forward, he established a Common Facility Centre that offers training, technical guidance, and market support to young artisans. By organising exhibitions and collaborating with vendors across India, he has brought new life to this fading art, earning him the title “Tangaliyano Tranhar,” meaning the saviour of Tangaliya. The growing global appreciation for Tangaliya is further highlighted by artisan Baldev Mohanbhai Rathore of Surendranagar, who crafted the Tangaliya shirt worn by actor Brad Pitt in “F1,” an action movie.
Fulfilling the PM’s guiding mantra “Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi,” the Tangaliya weaving tradition stands as one of Gujarat’s most enduring symbols of cultural identity. The Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference will further strengthen this collaboration, offering new avenues for joint ventures, skill development, and cultural exchange. The focus on Kutch and Saurashtra highlights the government’s commitment to inclusive development, ensuring that industrial progress goes hand-in-hand with community empowerment, skill enhancement, and preservation of traditional livelihoods. By bringing together global investors with local entrepreneurs, artisans, and cultural ambassadors, the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference will celebrate Gujarat’s economic strength and its cultural soul. It will reaffirm the message that progress is most meaningful when it uplifts communities, preserves heritage, and inspires a sense of pride in every household.
