385 Women in Assam Earn Income Weaving Heritage Textiles

In Sualkuchi, Assam's historic silk hub, hundreds of women who once depended on forests for survival are now earning steady incomes through traditional weaving and silk-making.

Arup Baishya grew up watching his region's centuries-old handloom heritage fade away. Meanwhile, communities living near forests struggled to make ends meet, relying on unsustainable forest use that hurt both families and the environment.

He saw a chance to solve both problems at once. Trained in fashion technology and textiles, Baishya started teaching women in forest-fringe communities how to weave and produce silk using traditional methods their ancestors once mastered.

"Handloom, sericulture, dyeing—these are things people don't really see today," Baishya says. "But this is our heritage."

His organization, AVA Creations, set up a handloom experience center near Deoparbil where women could learn the crafts. Once trained, they started producing textiles that Baishya linked to real markets through government stores, the Taj Group of Hotels, and other partners.

The results changed lives. Women who learned these skills now earn enough to educate their children and support their households without depending on the forest.

Today, AVA Creations works with 385 women across Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya. The enterprise grew from zero to Rs 1.5 crore in revenue in just four years.

When Baishya incorporated in 2021, Assam Startup provided crucial support. "We received a lot of mentorship and guidance on how to manage finances, build teams, handle compliance, and make ourselves future-ready," he recalls.

The government backing helped open doors to more incubation programs and gave the venture the foundation it needed to scale. They provided promotion opportunities and logistics support from day one.

The Ripple Effect

What started as a heritage preservation project is now protecting forests, empowering women, and reviving an entire region's traditional identity. Assam's GI-tagged textiles are finding buyers across India and internationally, carrying the state's craftsmanship to new audiences.

The women artisans aren't just earning income. They're passing skills to the next generation, keeping knowledge alive that might have disappeared forever.

For Baishya, the timing feels right. "Right now, it is a very good time for startups in Assam," he says. "It has the potential to become a full-fledged hub."

Assam's heritage crafts are proving that ancient traditions can create modern livelihoods when paired with smart business thinking and strong support systems.