Hyderabad :They are Facilities Management Professionals. Their job is to deliver support services to the organization they serve. They are discharging their official duties as Facilities Managers and additionally they are doing service to promote handlooms.
Thanks to their efforts, Handooms/Khadi clothes have become buzz words in the IT industry.
They have been doing so Inspired by the clarion call given by Minister KT Rama Rao. He asked IT industry to wear handlooms once a week on every Monday.
The 250 member strong, Facilities Management Professionals body Facilities Management Council (FMC) Telangana, embarked on an initiative to make 4 lakh plus IT employees working in 400 plus IT companies wear Handlooms on every Monday. It is a mammoth task. But they have been continuously pursing it. Jayesh Ranjan, Principle Secretary ITE & C has been their constant source of inspiration.
In recognition to their services, ITE & C Dept, Govt of Telangana recently honoured FMC with an award. They were chosen for the award for their initiative promoting “Handloom Monday”. The award was presented by KT Rama Rao on the occasion 4th . The Award was presented to Satyanarayana Mathala, the President of behalf of FMC.
Awards are rewards for excellence and they are a great motivating factors. We feel good that government has recognized our efforts by choosing FMC for the award. We rededicate this award for the cause Handlooms. Our endeavour is to see that every IT employee in the city wears handlooms at least once a week on every Monday.
FMC has been organizing IT Handloom Melas, Fashion Shows, Walks to promote handlooms, to encourage IT people wear handlooms every Monday
So far they have organised four Handloom Expos and the latest one was organized at Sonata Software Ltd, Begumpet. It just concluded on June 30th. This was the fourth in the series. And we continue to organize these melas, until we reach every IT company and every IT employees states Satyanarayana Mathala, the President of FMC.
Thanks to their efforts there is a lot of buzz generate among the IT employees. A total of Rs 52 lakh worth Handloom clothes were purchased by visitors. Nearly 1.3lakh people visited all these four melas put together. The melas were organized at Phoenix, Raheja Mind Space, DLF and Sonata Software in the IT corridor.
The steady results are there to be seen. Our sustained efforts motivated many companies take up the initiative seriously. Hitachi Consulting is implanting 1 Day Kadhi. Netcraker Technology organized a Fashion Show for all the employees in Handloom clothes to encourage and promote the fabric. DQ Entertainment observes Handloom Week. Arcesium team dressed in Khadi attire on the oocasion of their 3rd Anniversary, the celebrations of which was graced by KT Rama Rao.
Srinivas, MD of Netcraker Technology, Khadi is part of my life.
FMC is chosen for the award in recognition to their efforts in promoting Handlooms among IT folks.
FMC lead by Satyanarayana Mangala and the 240 plus team of FMC espousing a unique cause.
We need to bring back glory to handlooms. Handloom clothes are eco-friendly and are naturally made. They support livelihood. Chemicals are not used in the dyes said Satya.
We have organised several IT Handloom Melas. We have organized them with the support of IT Electronics & Communications Department; DLF, NASSCOM, HYSEA, Sunshine Hospitals, TSCO, and others Satya added.
We found that the major reason for non popularity of handloom products is its limited availability and negligible communication / publicity as a product with inherent superior fabric quality. That is why we have chosen Melas and organised them repeatedly to see the entire IT community wears Handloom clothes on every Monday, Satya added.
FMC is actively working with Government of Telangana to encourage wearing Handlooms.
FMC formed a core team to organize the handloom Mela’s in various IT parks for the year 2018. Our objective is to cover all the IT parks in and Around Hyderabad, informed Satyanarayana. We are working hard towards this. We made all our members take pledge that they wear Handlooms clothes only on Monday. Everyone must encourage and support to uplift handloom industry to restore its last glory, said Satyanarayana.
There are 400 IT/ITes companies in the city and more than four lakh employees work in them. If they all start wearing handlooms at least once in a week on Monday, it will receive huge fillip to the handlooms, Satyanarayana Mathala stated.
Handloom products are well appreciated by the young Indian because of its excellent fabric quality and a different over all look. Indian climate is primaryly hot round the year and handloom products being airy are the ideal fabric to put on. However, handloom products are bought only for special occasions and not for regular usage thereby reducing frequency of purchase. This attribute needs to be highlighted strongly by way of promotion through mass media which would help enhance the level of acceptance and usage pattern amongst the IT folks
It is a common misnomer that handloom products are worn to look dignified, only for going to temples / religious places and are suitable for festival occasions. But they are also great attire for Office wear. and formal meetings, Satya gave his experience.
We would like to highlight superior fabric quality, comfort factor, symbol of Indian heritage, and eco friendliness of handloom products in all our communications. They are not transparent, so are good for office wear. Handloom clothes give elderly and more mature look. They are good for skin, simple, regulate temperature, beat harsh summers and freezing winters, durable, easy to maintain, good on looks and great on purse, Satya added.
Many celebrities wear Handlooms. These celebrities include: Samantha, Dia Mirza, Vidya Balan, Shabana Azmi, Radhika Apte, Smrithi Irani, KT Rama Rao; Sonam Kapoor, Kiran Rao, Mini Mathu, Kangana Ranau, Neha Dhupia, Karishma Kapoor, Kirron Kher
Pawan Kalyan, film actor has been wearing handlooms and advocating his fans and all other telugus across the world to wear handloom clothes at least once.