Bhubaneswar: Six Yards and 365 Days is a not for profit institution based out of Noida and dedicated to the welfare of handloom saree weavers of India. The institution has been founded by Ms. Sunita Budhiraja who has a passion for handloom and handloom sarees. Six yards 365 days has approximately 30, 0000 women from across India and different countries who are members of its online Facebook platform. As a commitment to support handloom saree weavers, Six Yards 365 Days collaborated with Arupa Mission Research Foundation (a 22 year old not for profit institution based out of Odisha) to support the weavers of Olasingh village of Tangi Block, Khurda district of Odisha.
Arupa Mission Research Foundation has been working on socio-economic development, CSR and other activities in different States of India. On 04th of March, 2021 (11.30 am), Arupa Mission Research Foundation organised an event for Six Yards and 365 Days at the Olasingh Tassar Weavers Cooperative Society, Raghunathpalli, Olasingh.
The event was graced by Shri Prashanta Patnaik (Sr. Journalist and President of the Olasingh Tassar Weavers Cooperative), Shri Premananda Parida (Elected representative/Sarpanch of Olasingh Panchayat), Shri. Partha Patnaik (Land, Resettlement and Rehabilitation Expert), Shri Dipankar Das (HR Operations Head, Manpower Group of Companies), Shri Laxmidhar Debata (Secretary of the weavers cooperative) and Ms. Sonali Patnaik (Director, Arupa Mission Research Foundation). With support from Six Yards and 365 Days and facilitation from Arupa Mission Research Foundation, LED lights were given for weavers (80 households) to light up their home and instruments to those who extract silk from cocoons and spin the silk into silk threads (17 households).
The event was successfully organised by Ms. Sonali Patnaik, a Development Sector Expert and Director Arupa Mission Research Foundation with motivation from Shri Prashanta Patnaik (Sr. Journalist), Veteran Gp. Capt. B.P. Patnaik (Chairman, Arupa Mission Research Foundation). Shri Babuli Debata (Weaver, Olasingh) and Shri Kiran Nayak (Accountant, Arupa Mission Research Foundation) actively participated in making the event a success.
Raghunathpalli (Olasingh) has around 80 weaver households who are engaged in weaving Patta/ silk sarees, Sutta/ cotton sarees ad Tassar sarees. Weavers from this village face a major challenge for marketing their finished handlooms and procuring cocoons for extracting silk. Historically, Olasingh village is also important as it was home to the Freedom fighter Shri Raghunath Patnaik and his wife Smt. Harabala Patnaik, both of whom had worked hard and contributed to the development of a college and weaver’s colony which is now known as Raghunathpalli and the Olasingh Tassar Weavers Cooperative. After them, their son who is a reputed Sr. Journalist, Shri Prashanta Patnaik and his son Mr. Partha Patnaik are supporting these initiatives.
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