Weaving resilience into heritage: Against all odds, differently-abled artisan wins National Handloom Award

Bhojrajbhai learned the art of Mashroo weaving from his father, Damjibhai, a pioneer who introduced this traditional craft into Khadi production in Kutch. Despite being affected by polio in his childhood and shouldering the responsibility of caring for his younger brother, who is also differently-abled, Bhojrajbhai’s life has been defined by resilience and the soothing rhythm of the loom.

In the 1990s, even as Mashroo weaving faced near extinction due to mass-producted power loom imitations, Bhojrajbhai refused to let the art die.

He sought out markets independently, trained young men and women in his village, and provided them with work and equipment, turning his home into both a workshop and a school for heritage preservation. Even a battle with cancer could not keep him from the loom.

In 2023, Bhojrajbhai was enrolled as a beneficiary to the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) Ahmedabad, under its flagship project supported by HSBC, ‘Handmade in India’, to spearhead Mashroo’s revival. Under the project, he received advanced design development training, exposure to innovative yarn options, and access to new design layouts. In May 2025, Bhojrajbhai approached EDII for help in applying for the National Handloom Award. EDII’s project team worked with him to conceptualise a thematic sample product and compile a compelling application.

Reacting to his win, Bhojrajbhai said, “Winning this award is a proud moment not just for me, but for every Mashroo weaver who has worked to keep this tradition alive. With EDII’s support, I was able to revive a design close to my heart and take our craft to the national stage.”