New Delhi, Saturday, 1^st December 2018: Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) in association with Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA) as a Knowledge Partner, organised – for the first time in the history of Indian Textile & Clothing Industry – an Innovation Contest“InnoTex 2018”. Innovation applications were sought in the field of Design, Method, Process, Product and Cost in Ginning, Spinning, Weaving, Knitting, Processing, Garmenting and Technical Textiles” from all over India and abroad as well. CITI received an overwhelming response from the innovators as well as from the Industry. A total of 10 innovations were shortlisted after two rounds of Juries’ evaluation.  The Final Round of the Innovation Contest was organised coinciding with CITI Diamond Jubilee Celebrations – Global Textiles Conclave 2018 on 28^th November 2018 at 10:00 AM at Hall No. 4, Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Innovators made their final presentations before the eminent Jury Members comprising Shri Shekhar Agarwal, Vice Chairman, RSWM Limited, Shri Bharat Bhushan Modi, Vice President (Weaving), D’Décor Home Fabrics Pvt. Ltd., Shri Neelabh Dalmia, Director, GHCL and Prof. R.S. Rengasamy, Department of Textile Technology, IIT Delhi, the stalwarts of textile & apparel industry and top academia.  Three winners were selected as 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd rank.   

Shri Sanjay K Jain, Chairman CITI delivered the Keynote Address and shared his thoughts that how the idea of organizing an Innovation contest came and in fact it was first time in India that such a contest is organized for innovations in the textile sector.

Dr. Arindam Basu, Director General, NITRA briefed the audience about the InnoTex 2018 contest and its journey of four months. Shri Prashant Mohota, Chairman, CITI-YEG thanked the Innovators for their excellent innovations and presentations. He also expressed his gratitude to the eminent Jury Members who really had a herculean task of judging and evaluating the Innovators particularly when competition became very close and tough. He also acknowledged the support and help extended by Dr. J.V. Rao, CEO, TSC and his team. He showed heartfelt indebtedness to the sponsors D’Decor (Presenting Partner), Lenzing AG and Murata Machinery Limited (Supporting Partners) without whose support this contest would not have been possible. After the 2^nd Round all 10 shortlisted candidates were mentored by the industry experts.

Shri Suresh Prabhu, Hon’ble Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation presented Trophies to the finalists of InnoTex 2018 at the Valedictory Session of CITI Diamond Jubilee Celebrations held at Hall No. 6, Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Mr. R. Pothiraj received the first prize for his Innovation on “32% Reduction in Energy Consumption in Running Airjet Looms”. Mr. Dhivagar got second prize and Mr. Raj Kumar got third prize for their innovations in “Zero Defect of Spandex Miss Plating in Knitted Fabric” and “Computerised Vertical Embroidery Machine”, respectively.

The Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Suresh Prabhu also congratulated NITRA for its excellent work in InnoTex 2018 Contest as Knowledge Partner.

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