<p>Crafts Council of India (CCI) has selected Udupi saree artisan Vyasaraya Shettigar for the national-level ‘Shanta Prasad Award for Excellence in Weaving’ for the year 2020. </p>.<p>The award ceremony which was supposed to be held on April 18 has been postponed.</p>.<p>Vyasaraya Shettigar (79) is one among only nine Udupi Saree weavers who can weave fine 80 count saree with Butta. He started weaving at the age of 15.</p>.<p>Being a talented weaver, he also taught many weavers to fine tune their skill of weaving. He is affectionately called ‘master’ by those in the weaving community. </p>.<p>Shetigar presently weaves for Padupanambur Weavers Co Operative Society. His skills in weaving have brought him many accolades like state awards for weavers in the year 2006-07 and 2015-16. He was also awarded ‘Kayaka Prashasti’ by Charaka Women's Co Operative, Heggodu in 2019, said a release from Karkala-based Kadike Trust that has been striving to pull the weaving industry from the brink.</p>.<p>Weavers who had left the occupation are being brought back with the promise of higher pay and improving marketing strategy to increase the demand for sarees by the trust.</p>
<p>Crafts Council of India (CCI) has selected Udupi saree artisan Vyasaraya Shettigar for the national-level ‘Shanta Prasad Award for Excellence in Weaving’ for the year 2020. </p>.<p>The award ceremony which was supposed to be held on April 18 has been postponed.</p>.<p>Vyasaraya Shettigar (79) is one among only nine Udupi Saree weavers who can weave fine 80 count saree with Butta. He started weaving at the age of 15.</p>.<p>Being a talented weaver, he also taught many weavers to fine tune their skill of weaving. He is affectionately called ‘master’ by those in the weaving community. </p>.<p>Shetigar presently weaves for Padupanambur Weavers Co Operative Society. His skills in weaving have brought him many accolades like state awards for weavers in the year 2006-07 and 2015-16. He was also awarded ‘Kayaka Prashasti’ by Charaka Women's Co Operative, Heggodu in 2019, said a release from Karkala-based Kadike Trust that has been striving to pull the weaving industry from the brink.</p>.<p>Weavers who had left the occupation are being brought back with the promise of higher pay and improving marketing strategy to increase the demand for sarees by the trust.</p>