There is something about anything handmade — a handwoven textile, an intricate embroidery, the slight imperfections that come from human hands — that has always drawn me towards it.

Perhaps it began in childhood.
I grew up watching my mother drape herself in beautiful handloom sarees. Her taste in sarees was impeccable, and although I may not have understood the language of weaves and textiles then, I think somewhere those colours, textures and stories stayed with me.
Years later, as a student, I worked with a designer who collaborated closely with the weavers of Phulia in West Bengal. I still remember beautiful handwoven sarees and fabrics arriving at the office. Looking back, I sometimes feel that was another little sign from the universe, quietly pointing me towards the world of the handwoven and handcrafted.
Today, I have my own little baby — Rakhi Apparels — where we work towards nurturing and celebrating the beautiful tradition of handcrafted Chikankari embroidery.
Through all these years, one thing has remained constant: my deep appreciation for anything made by hand.

I know many people for whom it may not matter whether something is handmade or machine-made — and that is perfectly alright. Different tastes and preferences are part of a healthy society.

But I do believe that before we decide what we like, we should at least have the opportunity to know what we have.

India possesses an extraordinary wealth of handlooms, weaves, embroideries and textile traditions. Yet so many of us grow up without knowing which weave belongs to which part of India, where a particular embroidery originated, or how generations of artisans have kept these traditions alive.

And when we don't know the story behind something, it becomes much harder to value it.
This National Handloom Day, I have a small wish.
I would love to see Indian handlooms and crafts introduced to children in our schools — not necessarily as another subject to memorise for an examination, but as stories to discover.

Let children learn about Chikankari from Lucknow, Jamdani traditions of Bengal, Kanjeevaram from Tamil Nadu, Patola from Gujarat, Ikat, Chanderi, Maheshwari, Phulkari, Kantha and the countless other traditions that make India's textile heritage so remarkable.
Imagine growing up knowing the crafts of our country the way we learn about its rivers, mountains, monuments and history.

Because awareness creates appreciation.
Appreciation creates pride.
And what we learn to value, we are far more likely to preserve.
On National Handloom Day, my gratitude to every weaver, embroiderer and artisan whose hands continue to tell the story of India.