Assam-based start-up's "Soil-to-Silk" model gets recognition with national award

An Assam-based start-up was awarded a national prize by the Ministry of Textiles, marking excellence in the start-up venture category, among 22 awards presented by President Droupadi Murmu on National Handloom Day.

The president felicitated Marvella Associates with the award on Friday. The venture, co-founded by Pakumoni Das and Jugal Bharali, represents Sualkuchi, a silk town in Assam renowned for its weaving heritage.

At the event, the 22 awards included three Sant Kabir Handloom Awards and 19 National Handloom Awards for excellence in weaving, innovation, design development, marketing, start-up ventures and producer companies.

Instituted under the Handloom Marketing Assistance component of the National Handloom Development Programme, these awards represent the pinnacle of national recognition for creativity, quality and innovation in India's handloom sector, officials said.

The National Handloom Award celebrates those who preserve traditional skills while embracing modern techniques, selected through a rigorous, multi-level evaluation process that ensures transparency, objectivity and recognition of excellence across the sector, they said.

Marvella Associates' "Soil-to-Silk" model has created a living, immersive experience of Assam's silk tradition — from cultivating castor and "som" plants, rearing "eri and muga" silkworms, and producing cocoons, to reeling yarn, dyeing, weaving and finishing handloom products, the start-up said in a press release.

This integrated approach allows visitors to witness the full value chain while appreciating the artistry of local weavers, it said.

"Beyond tourism, Marvella has built a vibrant livelihood ecosystem where every stakeholder's contribution is honoured. Its model has been introduced to students to deepen awareness of Assam's weaving culture and the livelihoods it sustains," the statement said.

The venture said it envisions a self-sustaining Assamese village, rooted in healing herbs, vegetables, prayers, folk music and rituals, and strengthened by handloom weaving as a pillar of economic resilience.

Marvella also received an award from the Ministry of Tourism in the "craft" category in 2025.