This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.

Smriti Irani's Viral Campaign Finds Resonance With Thousands Of Indians Who Love Handloom

Weaver really happy with the responses.
Twitter/ @smritiirani

In a recent reshuffle in the Union cabinet, minister Smriti Irani was transferred from the Ministry of Human Resource Development to the Ministry of Textiles.

Being an active social media user herself, Irani has always been under public scrutiny.

But this time, the feisty leader is weaving magic on Twitter and Facebook.

On Monday, in a Facebook post, Irani launched the campaign -- #IWearHandloom to encourage and support Indian weavers, whose traditional trade is under threat with rapid modernisation.

"To show your support, upload a photo wearing handloom with #IWearHandloom & tag atleast 5 friends to upload his/her photo as well," Irani added in her post.

Her post on her Facebook page has already gone viral with over 50k likes and 3k shares:

The handloom industry is among the top employment generators in India after agriculture. More than 43 lakh weavers and allied workers are engaged in it, 78% of them being women.

#IWearHandloom is a campaign to show support to a community which weaves the diverse fabric of our nation's rich heritage and bring international fame to our nation. It is a tribute to women who contribute to 15% of cloth production in India and 95% of world handloom production, it is saying thank you for their hardwork and dedication for keeping our traditions alive.

I support Indian weavers, here's my #IWearHandloom look - Handwoven silk from Bihar. To show your support, upload a photo wearing handloom with #IWearHandloom & tag atleast 5 friends to upload his/her photo as well.

She also took to Twitter and posted this.

Soon after she launched the campaign, the hashtag trended in India.

And the response to Irani's campaign has been overwhelming.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

The list doesn't end here. You can go to her Twitter timeline and see all the gorgeous photos she's retweeted.

See more on HuffPost:

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.