On the occasion of the 43rd Foundation Day Celebra
tion of the National Handloom Development Corpo
ration (NHDC) at Handloom Haat, Janpath, New Delhi, the
multilingual illustrated book The Quest for the Sacred Cloth
was officially launched in 10 languages — English, Hindi,
German, Japanese, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia
and Bengali.
The book was unveiled by Hon’ble Union Minister of
Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh, in the distinguished presence of
Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Ms. Neelam Shami Rao,
Development Commissioner (Handlooms) Ms. Beena M,
IAS, and NHDC Managing Director, Commodore Rajeev
Ashok (Retd.), along with senior officials, master weavers
and stakeholders from across the country.
Commissioned by the Ministry of Textiles through NHDC
under the Office of the Development Commissioner
(Handlooms), the publication is conceived as a multilingual
cultural initiative designed to carry the story of India’s
handloom heritage across linguistic and geographic
boundaries.Authored and creatively directed by Prasad
Bidapa, with layout, visual interpretation and AI-enabled illustration executed by Nagendra Prasad B, the book
marks a first-of-its-kind initiative in the handloom sector —
extensively illustrated through Artificial Intelligence (AI) to
create a contemporary visual language that bridges
mythology, craft memory and modern storytelling.
Within the narrative, five young protagonists are guided by
legendary figures who shaped India’s textile and craft
renaissance, including Martand Singh, Kamaladevi
Chattopadhyay, Pupul Jayakar, Rukmini Devi Arundale,
Pavithra Muddaya, Chimmy Nanjappa, Rajeev Sethi, Laila
Tyabji, Sally Holkar, RTA Kapur Chishti, and Urzramma.
Through the journey of children who become guardians of
India’s sacred textiles, The Quest for the Sacred Cloth
introduces the next generation to the deeper meaning of
handlooms — as living traditions that heal, protect and
preserve civilisational identity.
The release of all ten language editions underscores the
Government of India’s continued commitment to
strengthening cultural continuity and ensuring that the
story of India’s handloom legacy reaches diverse regional
and international audiences.