84-Year-Old Weaver's Sarees Reach Canada Via Grandson's IG

Every morning in Kakapalayam village near Salem, Tamil Nadu, 84-year-old Chinnusami settles at his wooden loom despite hands that shake with age. Six decades of weaving won't let him stop, even when family begs him to rest.

"As long as our limbs work and mind functions, we should be at work," he insists. The skill he learned as a boy from a local artisan became his identity, his pride as someone without formal education.

His grandson Praveen watched that quiet dedication for years and decided a lifetime of craftsmanship deserved more. In January 2026, the 23-year-old chemistry student cleared a spare room, painted it himself, and launched Thatha's Clothing on Instagram with just a smartphone.

Chinnusami had never heard of Instagram. He asked Praveen innocently who was sending their sarees to strangers, puzzled that people in unseen countries suddenly knew about his work.

Slowly, curiosity replaced confusion. Now he appears in reels, sometimes shy, sometimes smiling, recording voiceovers thanking customers directly in heartfelt Tamil.

When their first order arrived, grandfather and grandson kept refreshing the screen in disbelief. Today orders flow from Canada, Australia, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia to that same small room.

Sunny's Take

Each evening, the two pack orders by hand together, folding sarees carefully and pausing for tea. What could be routine business becomes precious family time, jokes and conversation woven between tissue paper and tape.

Chinnusami's belongings still fit in a single trunk. Praveen hopes to build him a proper house someday, though his grandfather seems content with what he has.

The real wealth sits between them each evening: a young man honoring his elder's craft, an old man discovering the world still values what his hands create.