Bengaluru joins the Global Network of Silk Cities

Context – Bengaluru has become the first Indian city to get into the global network of silk cities. French textile artist Isabelle Moulin is on a silk trip to India.

She launched the membership of Bengaluru to be the first Indian city in the Global Silk City Network. She even expressed her hope to add Bengal’s Murshidabad district to the Global Silk City Network.

About the Global Network of Silk Cities

• There are 9 countries and 13 cities in the network. The Silk Metropolis community is the worldwide Silk Metropolis community to date has 13 “finest silk–producing cities”  which have “similar philosophy to guard silk and its associated heritage” from everywhere in the globe throughout 9 international locations as its member.
• The Network helps artisans and craftsmen to exchange knowledge, build trade relations and understand various craftsmanship techniques.
• In 2011, Ms. Moulin created the Silk me Again, a method that carefully combines heritage and modern expressions, combining scientific, technical and creative views on the theme of silk and textiles.

Silk in India

• India has a variety of silk and artisans in the country.
• The five major types of commercialized silk in India are – Oak Tasar, Mulberry, Tropical Tasar, Muga, Eri.
• Murshidabad district in West Bengal is known to produce fine silk over the past 300 years and is called the ‘the Silk City of India’
• The History of silk weaving in Murshidabad started in the early 18th century during Mughal rule.
• South India is the largest silk-producing half of the country.

 The Central Silk Board

• It is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka and was established in 1948 as a statutory body.
• It functions under the Ministry of Textiles.
• Roles of the Central Silk Board include:

1. Preparing Silk industries report
2. Measures to be taken for the development of the silk industry
3. Import-export of silk
4. Research and development

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