Mysore Silk's Resurgence: Empowering the Next Generation of Weavers"
For the past few years, the socio-economic conditions of our weavers have been discussed, debated and too often forgotten, largely for lack of opportunities to change their fortunes. Here is an example of how a state public-sector enterprise has revived Mysore Silk and brought back smiles for weavers. We hope this model is adopted more broadly, enabling weaving communities to align with the broader economic and financial improvements. Mysore Silk has moved from a period of stagnation and losses to renewed demand and stronger finances, with KSIC now facing the problem of excess demand rather than surplus stock. During the 2000s and early 2010s, rising raw-silk costs, intense competition from cheaper Kanchipuram and Banaras silks, and changing fashion preferences eroded profitability and left inventories high. Parliamentary discussions and state reports from that era even flagged the risk of closure of the Mysore Silk Weaving Factory, with real concerns about the thou...