Lakka Srinivasulu felicitated for winning Sant Kabir Award

 Nellore: District collector S. Venkateshwar heaped praise on master weaver and designer Lakka Srinivasulu by describing him as a true asset to the district, as the latter has been conferred with the prestigious National Sant Kabir Award by the Central government. The collector and MLA K. Ramakrishna felicitated Srinivasulu with a shawl and a portrait of Lord Venkateswara. They inspected a selection of handcrafted saris designed by Srinivasulu at the R&B Guest House on Thursday afternoon.

Speaking on the occasion, the collector said Srinivasulu's recognition was a matter of immense pride. He noted that Sant Kabir Award was the highest national honour in the field of textiles and handlooms and only three individuals from this region have received it so far.

Of the two recipients in the country this year, Srinivasulu from the Venkatagiri constituency in Tirupati district is the only one from Andhra Pradesh to be selected, he stressed.

The award was given to him for his exceptional work using "Buda Silk" — a rare form of silk designed to preserve the silk worm during extraction. His award-winning creation features a unique dual-sided design woven with 2% gold and silver threads, a style that had not been attempted elsewhere in the country.

“This design is a remarkable innovation. For such a rare contribution to Indian handloom, Srinivasulu truly deserves this national recognition,” said the collector. He extended congratulations on behalf of the district administration and the handloom department.

MLA K. Ramakrishna said it's a moment of pride as Srinivasulu is from our very own Venkatagiri constituency. He has received several accolades in the past as well, and we’ve had the honour of felicitating him earlier.”

He added that he hopes Srinivasulu continues to bring laurels to the region with more awards in the future.

The event was attended by MPP Tanuja Reddy and State Padmasali Corporation director Sriramadasu Gangadhar.