At BRICS Bazaar 2026 in New Delhi, countries came together through cultural exchanges, commerce and traditional crafts. Among India’s representatives was Rajendra Sudarshan Ankam, a handloom weaver from Solapur, Maharashtra, whose work brings portraiture and contemporary designs to the traditional loom.
Ankam specialises in cotton wall hangings and portrait weaving, creating detailed images and designs through handloom techniques. His work has developed over the years from simpler wall-hanging patterns to portraits, temple- and nature-inspired designs, as well as contemporary artwork. The Office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms has documented his work and recognised his contribution to the craft.
From Solapur’s Looms to National Recognition
Ankam has been associated with handloom weaving for more than two decades. According to a handloom-sector profile, he initially worked with relatively simple designs and limited colour patterns. With technical and design support from the Weavers’ Service Centre in Mumbai, he developed techniques for weaving portraits on the loom and expanded his range of wall hangings.
His work received national recognition with a National Merit Certificate in 2018. Official records of the Office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms list Rajendra Sudarshan Ankam of Solapur as a National Merit Certificate holder for cotton wall hanging.
The recognition also opened further opportunities for his craft. The handloom department’s documented success story says designers and buyers began approaching him for different cotton wall-hanging designs, while he received opportunities to participate in exhibitions across India. It also notes that newer weavers and entrepreneurs began learning aspects of portrait weaving from him.
Ankam’s achievements continued with the Sant Kabir Handloom Award for 2024. The Government of India’s official list of awardees identifies him as one of the recipients from Maharashtra and describes his recognised skill as “Unique Weaving Art.”
The award followed his selection through the handloom award process, where the West Zone committee listed his work under weaving and described the craft as unique weaving art.
Representing India Through Craft
At BRICS Bazaar 2026, Ankam’s work was presented alongside artisans representing different Indian craft traditions. Contemporary reports on the Bazaar identified him specifically as a Solapuri handloom portrait weaver among the Indian artisans participating in the exhibition.
His participation brought a distinctly local story to an international cultural platform. Solapur, known for its textile traditions, was represented through an artisan whose work combines established handloom techniques with portraiture and newer artistic designs.
The significance of Ankam’s participation lies not only in the finished wall hangings but also in the process behind them. His work demonstrates how a traditional weaving practice can be adapted to create detailed portraits and contemporary visual designs while remaining rooted in handloom techniques.
For Ankam, the loom has therefore become more than a means of producing textiles. It has become a medium for creating portraits, artistic designs and cultural expressions and a way of carrying Solapur’s weaving tradition to audiences beyond Maharashtra.
At BRICS Bazaar, that story travelled through the threads of his work. Rather than relying on a podium or presentation, Ankam’s craft offered visitors another way to encounter India: through the skill of a Solapur artisan, the discipline of handloom weaving and a tradition that continues to evolve with its practitioners.