Lavjibhai Parmar

Lavjibhai Parmar is an Indian weaver artist who is a master of weaving called Tanglia.[1] In 2025, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri for his contribution in the field of arts.[2][3] He belongs to the Dangsia community.[4]

Work

Lavjibhai is a master of Tanglia art. He has been awarded the Padma Shri for keeping alive, promoting and encouraging the younger generation to adopt this 700-year-old traditional art of weaving.[5] To pass on this weaving art to the next generations, they have built a Common Facility Centre, in which training in this art is given. He provided technical and market support to the trainees, employed 20-25 weavers and opened up livelihood avenues for others. He has promoted this dying art of weaving by organizing exhibitions and collaborating with vendors across India.[4]

He is known as "Tangaliyano Tranhar (the savior of Tanglia). He has devoted more than 4 decades to this art.[6][7]

In earlier times Tanglia was woven from sheep wool. As its consumption decreased, Lovejibhai's team made Tanglia in cotton. In which he made cushion covers, sarees, dresses.[6]

Tanglia weaving

In earlier times Tangalia woven garments made from sheep wool were used by shepherds, Rabari and Ahir communities. A Scheduled Tribe called Dangsia of Gujarat weaves this cloth. This 700-year-old art belongs to Surendranagar district of Saurashtra. Handloom garments such as Ramraj, Charmalia, Dhunsla and Lobdi are produced in Dedadara, Vastdi and Vadla villages.[6]

Tangaliya Shawl has also got a geo tag.[8]

Awards

• 1990 - National Award for Contribution to the Arts [9]
• 2019 - Sant Kabir Award[10]
• In 2025, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri for his contribution in the field of arts.[11]

Reference

1. "Artisan Details on INDEXT-C, A Gujarat Government Organization". 2025-01-27.
2. "Wayback Machine" (PDF). www.padmaawards.gov.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-01-26. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
3. Chauhan, Neeraj. "102-year-old freedom fighter from Goa among 30 unsung Padma Shri award winners". Hindustan Times.
4. "Padma Awards-2025 : ગુજરાતનાં સુરેશ સોની, લવજીભાઈ પરમારને પદ્મશ્રી એવોર્ડ, જાણો તેમના વિશે". Gujarat First (in Gujarati). Retrieved 2025-01-27.
5. "2025 Padma Shri awards honour unsung heroes of Indian culture and social progress". The Times of India. 2025-01-25. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
6. "ગુજરાતના લવજીભાઈ પરમાર અને સુરેશ સોનીને પદ્મ શ્રી એવોર્ડ એનાયત કરાશે, જાણો કયા ક્ષેત્રે આપ્યું યોગદાન". www.gujaratsamachar.com (in Gujarati). Retrieved 2025-01-27.
7. "લુપ્તપ્રાય ટાંગલિયા કળાને જીવતી રાખવા બદલ, વઢવાણના લવજીભાઈ પરમારને મળશે 'પદ્મશ્રી'". 2025-01-27.
8. "Tangaliya gets GI status". The Times of India. November 16, 2009. Retrieved 2014-04-12.
9. "National Award Winners". 2025-01-27.
10. "State wise -Consolidated Handloom Awardee List upto 2019" (PDF).
11. "2025 Padma Shri awards honour unsung heroes of Indian culture and social progress". The Times of India. 2025-01-25. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-01-27.