Shillong, Mar 10: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has called upon his fellow Ministers to embrace Eri silk, a fabric deeply rooted in Meghalaya’s heritage, and promote its usage both within the state and beyond.

Speaking in the Assembly, he proudly shared that the shirt he was wearing was made from Eri silk, dyed using natural turmeric-based colors, and produced in Meghalaya.

“Cloth made from Eri silk is among the most comfortable,” CM Sangma said. “I have made 15 such shirts, and they are extremely comfortable. A Union Minister has even placed an order for Eri silk, recognizing its value.”

Eri is a multivoltine silk spun from open-ended cocoons, unlike other varieties of silk. Eri silk is the product of the domesticated silkworm, Philosamia ricini that feeds mainly on castor leaves. Eri silk is known as peace silk or Ahimsa silk because it is a non-violent silk that doesn’t require killing the moth to extract the fibre.

It is primarily produced in the northeastern Indian states of Assam, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. In fact, EriWeave the company from Meghalaya which got an investment in SharkTank makes hand-spun eri yarn and hand-woven eri fabric, showcasing the artistic finesse of Meghalaya’s women artisans. Sangma mentioned about the company too in the Assembly and they getting an investment deal in SharkTank India.

At the epicentre of this silk renaissance is Ri-Bhoi district, home to Umden-Diwon, Meghalaya’s first Eri silk village.

Underscoring the need for greater awareness and support for indigenous textiles, the Chief Minister suggested that his fellow Ministers also promote Eri silk. “It’s a great feeling to see our own products gaining popularity all over. We must support our own weavers and use our own fabric,” he added.

Encouraging more people to embrace the fabric, CM Sangma humorously pointed out that many MLAs already enjoy the local Nokma ice cream—so why not try Eri shirts too?

CM Sangma further emphasized that the state government’s investments in the sector, particularly through the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), have been instrumental in strengthening the local weaving industry. “This is all possible due to the investments we have made and the support given to our farmers and weavers through NRLM,” he stated.

As part of this initiative, the Chief Minister announced that he would be gifting Eri fabric to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union Ministers, hoping to introduce Meghalaya’s indigenous silk to a wider audience.

Meghalaya has been actively supporting Eri silk production, with state-backed initiatives empowering Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and weavers.

Also Read: Meghalaya to ask centre not to include ‘interest free loan’ in fiscal deficit calculation

Also Watch

Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.

Also, Follow us on-

Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub

Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020

Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub

Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub