Master weaver Sarat Patra to get Padma Shri

Sarat Kumar Patra, a master weaver from Odisha, revives ancient dyeing techniques and trains young artisans, earning national accolades for his work.

Bhubaneswar: In the handloom cluster of Maniabandh Nuapatna in Athgarh of Cuttack district, Sarat Kumar Patra has spent 60 years doing what few have managed—keeping an ancient craft alive while pushing its boundaries.

Sarat Kumar Patra has spent 60 years doing what few have managed—keeping an ancient craft alive while pushing its boundaries. (Facebook)

Born into a traditional weaver family in Tigiria of Cuttack, Patra over the years has developed more than 50 shades of natural dyes, painstakingly reviving dyeing processes that had all but vanished from living memory. His fabrics—sarees, dress materials, dhotis, scarves—woven in cotton, silk, and bapta (a cotton-silk blend), are sought after across the country. Some have found their way to the sanctum of Lord Jagannath in Puri, draped as offerings during festivals.

He has also trained over a hundred young weavers, many from underprivileged backgrounds, passing on skills that might otherwise have died with his generation. Recognition has followed. In 1993, the Ministry of Textiles conferred upon him the National Award for handloom weaving. Two decades later, in 2015, came the Sant Kabir Award, one of the highest honours in the field. He has also received the President’s Award, and his work has been celebrated both in India and abroad.

Perhaps his most ambitious undertaking was a seven-year labour of devotion—weaving the entire Geet Govinda in Odia script, complete with illustrations, onto a 52-metre silk scroll.