The 13th annual general meeting (AGM) of the Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA) was held on September 25, 2023, at the Orchid Hotel, Mumbai. Speaking as a chief guest, textile commissioner and secretary—textile committee, ministry of textiles (MoT), S P Verma, has encouraged the industry to invest in technical textiles (TT) and undertake new R&D projects under the National Technical Textile Mission (NTTM), assuring full support from the textile ministry.

Verma acknowledged the significant growth potential within the TT sector and commended ITTA for fostering industry interactions. He highlighted the importance of addressing industry challenges through research and development collaborations. Additionally, he stressed the need to reduce bottlenecks and enhance facilitation processes to make exports more competitive. Verma emphasised the opportunities for joint ventures and innovations to bridge technological gaps in the sector, ITTA said in a press release.

The meeting was conducted under the chairmanship of Amit Agarwal. The AGM was conducted as per the programme circulated to all stakeholders. Anup Rakshit, executive director, ITTA, welcomed ITTA members, the chief guest, directors of ITTA, eminent speakers, and representatives of the press present in the meeting.

The ‘Father of Technical Textiles’, Yogesh Kusumgar, chairman, Kusumgar Corporates Pvt Ltd was felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement Award in the TT industry. This award serves as a testament to his unwavering commitment and extraordinary impact on the TT industry.

In his address, chairman Agarwal expressed deep gratitude to the ministry of textiles for their unwavering support and encouragement in propelling the TT sector towards holistic growth. He emphasised the significant role played by ITTA and the support received in organising conferences and exhibitions under NTTM scheme. ITTA also represents numerous policy-making bodies of the government of India. The chairman also highlighted the impact of recent government schemes such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for textiles, PM Mitra Scheme, and NTTM, which are expected to stimulate the growth of the TT industry. He urged that government may consider extending the period of NTTM scheme for 2 years which will enable the industry to utilise the funds effectively which are allocated by NTTM.

During the AGM, new ITTA Board was formed wherein Avinash Misar, director and CEO of Texport Syndicate India, formally took over as the chairman of ITTA, and Mahesh Kudav, managing director, Venus Safety & Health was elected as the vice chairman of ITTA.

Amit Agarwal continues to be the ex-member of the board and will be a guiding force of the association along with Sundararaman K S (ex- officio member).

During the welcome address, Anup Rakshit, ED-ITTA highlighted key developments of over the past year. Notably the NTTM Scheme has approved 109 research projects in various TT domains, amounting to ₹336 crore, 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. Several other items are under consideration across different TT verticals.

The AGM also featured a knowledge session aimed at providing valuable insights and industry expertise with two insightful presentations: The first, titled ‘Concepts on Sustainability and Circular Economy for Technical Textile Industry,’ was delivered by Miklesh Goel, director PWM-EPR at JB Ecotex Ltd. His presentation focussed on the principles of sustainability, the recycling of PET bottles, and the role of RPET as a sustainable raw material. The second presentation, ‘Diverse Applications of Industrial Yarn and Nonwoven—Oerlikon Innovative Technologies & Solutions,’ was conducted by Shridhar Dhumal and Sudipto Mandal from Oerlikon Textile India Pvt Ltd. They covered an array of technologies and applications pertinent to the man-made fibre and nonwoven sectors.

Anil Kumar Vasupillai, additional executive director, ITTA, extended a vote of thanks to all the attendees and invitees, reaffirming ITTA's commitment to being the voice of the Indian TT industry and collaborating with the government on policy initiatives.