Anand Sharma urges young talents to promote Made in India

Speaking as the Guest of Honour at the Convocation of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), at Rae Bareli today, Shri Sharma exhorted the young fashion designers to strive for gaining credibility for Indian brands made by Indian people.

The UPA Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi was the Chief Guest at Convocation Ceremony and gave away the degrees to 59 new graduates. This was second batch passing out of the institute. She also laid the foundation of the New Building for NIFT Rae Bareli.

Shri Sharma said that the government is committed to invest in the institution building and invest in the young generation. He expressed hope that the young designers will enrich the traditional Indian textiles and will work in close contact with the traditional artisans. “New technology has created new stresses for the traditional artisans, there is need to create new opportunities for them,” said Shri Sharma.

Smt. Sonia Gandhi praised the social outreach programme conducted by the institute for the traditional handloom weavers and expressed hope that the young fashion designer will create their own idioms of Indian beauty and identity in the designs of 21st century. Striking a personal note, Smt. Gandhi recalled that the NIFT was conceived during the tenure of Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi and remembered the personal initiative of the late Prime Minister for the establishment of the institution.

Continuing on the personal note, Smt. Sonia Gandhi said that current designers should revisit the appeal of simplicity as some of the recent trends have succumbed to the temptation of over embellishment. “Fashion does not mean opulence. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had an innate sense of fashion and simplicity and her elegance was admired all over the world.”

Secretary Textiles Smt. Kiran Dhingra, President NIFT, Shri Venu Srinivasan also addressed the gathering. Director NIFT Rae Bareli Dr. A K Khare presented the academic report and DG NIFT Shri P K Gera was also present.

Earlier in the day, Smt. Gandhi and Shri Sharma visited the Rae Bareli campus of the Footwear Design and Development Institute and interacted with the faculty and students. She also visited coach factory at Lalganj and waived green flag for the release of new modern coaches. She also laid foundation for the doubling of railway line from Uttaratiya to Rae Bareli. She also distributed job cards for one member of the families who gave land for the project.

Ministry of Textiles