NIFT Gandhinagar convocation: India once controlled 40 per cent of world’s textile trade, now it is just 4 per cent, says institute director

Highlighting the textile and fashion sector’s role in the journey of ‘New India’, he said, “Looking at the history, India once controlled 40 per cent of the world’s textile trade but it has now dropped to just 4 per cent. It is our duty to restore this lost glory and make India the textile powerhouse of the world again. Director Sood said that this would require hard work, discipline, resilience, and zero procrastination.”

During the occasion, Sood emphasised on goal-setting, passion and determination, encouraging students to embrace practice, positivity, and self-improvement while avoiding procrastination and negativity.

He stated that concurrent with its academic pursuits, the campus has initiated a range of activities.

Sameer Sood said that the graduating students “are fortunate to step into a New India, a nation rising with pride”.

“India has become the fourth largest economy and is soon to be the third largest startup ecosystem, a leader in digital transactions, and among the fastest-growing in infrastructure,” he said.

“With exports at Rs 3 lakh crore, the Prime Minister had set a target of Rs 9 lakh crore by 2030. Achieving this would triple the industry, creating vast opportunities. Textiles, being India’s second-largest employer, carried great responsibility in nation- building,” he added.

Revenue Department Additional Chief Secretary Jayanti S Ravi, who was the chief guest at the event, spoke about the “changing and often chaotic world” and reminded the students that “resilience, values, and purpose are as important as prosperity”. NIFT’s graduating class of 2025 included 173 undergraduate students and 68 postgraduates, bringing the total number of graduates to 241 who have completed their academic journey.