The Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA) recently held its Annual Meeting in Mumbai, unveiling a new ITTA Board. Mr. Avinash Misar, Director & CEO of Texport Syndicate India Ltd., officially assumed the role of Chairman of ITTA, while Mr. Mahesh Kudav, Managing Director of Venus Safety & Health Pvt. Ltd., was elected as the Vice Chairman. The outgoing President, Mr. Amit Agarwal, will continue as an ex-member of the Board, alongside Dr. Sundararaman K. S., who serves as an Ex-Officio Member.
Dr. Anup Rakshit, ED – ITTA, outlined the significant developments of the past year, highlighting the National Technical Textile Mission (NTTM) Scheme, which has approved 109 research projects in various technical textile domains, totaling Rs. 336 crores, with more projects under consideration. Quality Control Orders (QCOs) were also a focus, with 19 items notified under Geotextiles and 12 items under Protective Textiles, while several other items are under consideration across different technical textile verticals.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Mr. Yogesh Kusumgar, Chairman of Kusumgar Corporates Pvt. Ltd., was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Technical Textile Industry, acknowledging his enduring commitment and significant impact on the sector.
In his address, Chairman Mr. Agarwal expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Textiles for their unwavering support in advancing the Technical Textile (TT) sector. He emphasized the pivotal role played by ITTA and the support received in organizing conferences and exhibitions under the NTTM scheme. The Chairman also underscored the potential impact of recent government schemes, such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Textiles, PM MITRA Scheme, and NTTM, in stimulating the growth of the Technical Textile Industry. He urged the government to consider extending the NTTM scheme for two more years to ensure effective utilization of allocated funds.
Mr. S. P. Verma, Addl. Textile Commissioner & Secretary – Textile Committee, Ministry of Textiles (MoT), GoI, served as the Chief Guest. Mr. Verma acknowledged the growth potential within the technical textiles sector and praised ITTA for fostering industry interactions. He stressed the importance of addressing industry challenges through research and development collaborations and encouraged the industry to invest in technical textiles. Mr. Verma also emphasized the need to streamline export processes, reduce bottlenecks, and promote joint ventures and innovations to bridge technological gaps in the sector.
The Annual General Meeting also featured a knowledge session with two insightful presentations: “Concepts on Sustainability and Circular Economy for Technical Textile Industry’ by Miklesh Goel, Director PWM-EPR, JB Ecotex Ltd., focusing on sustainability principles and recycling PET bottles, and ‘Diverse Applications of Industrial Yarn and Nonwoven – Oerlikon Innovative Technologies & Solutions’ presented by Mr. Shridhar Dhumal and Mr. Sudipto Mandal from Oerlikon Textile India Pvt. Ltd., covering various technologies and applications in the man-made fiber and nonwoven industry.
