CHENNAI: With the selection for the prestigious National Handloom Award for this year by the Union Ministry of Textiles, Rajasekar, a 41-year-old weaver, has added one more jewel to the silk saree central of TN.

In view of the National Handloom Day on Thursday, the Kancheepuram weaver was selected for the award for his exquisite work in the traditional Korvai silk saree category. He is a member of the Kancheepuram Kamakshi Amman Silk Handloom Cooperative Society and has been producing classic silk sarees using traditional methods.

The award will be presented to Rajasekar at a national event in New Delhi. His winning piece was a deep blue silk saree with contrasting korvai borders featuring intricate patterns such as double-headed peacocks and flying horses woven entirely by hand using heritage techniques.

The uniqueness and craftsmanship in Rajasekar's saree earned him the nomination. The same saree also won the Tamil Nadu State Award for Best Design, making Rajasekar one of the rare artisans to be recognised by both the state and central governments in the same year.

Elaborating on the efforts behind the masterpiece, Rajasekar recounted that creating the award-winning piece took nearly 20 days, whereas a regular saree takes about six days to weave. Every moment counted during the weaving process. He credited his success to the constant support from his cooperative society and team.

Kancheepuram's silk sarees are not only a staple at South Indian weddings but also represent the rich cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu. With global recognition for its weaving traditions, this latest national honour once again highlights the craftsmanship rooted in the temple town.