A group of former women Naxals from Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region walked the ramp at a National Handloom Day event in Raipur to thunderous applause from the audience and symbolised a remarkable journey from conflict to mainstream society.
The event, to celebrate India's rich handloom heritage, became more than a fashion show when women who used to roam the forests of Bastar for years with weapons and living in the Naxalite insurgency took centre stage. Looking like they were in a rush in bright handloom clothes and with their story of change and rehabilitation, not only did the women dress in traditional Indian textiles, but they also wore them and what is the story behind them.
Bastar is one of the regions most affected by Left-Wing Extremism in India for many years. Many young men and women got into the insurgency due to poverty, lack of opportunities, social issues, and extremist groups operating in remote forest areas. Many of the women who were present at the fashion show had been associated with Naxal groups before giving up and starting their lives over with government-supported rehabilitation programs.
They appeared at the National Handloom Day celebration and proved successful in reintegration plans to help former insurgents transition into productive civilian life. The initiative was to build confidence, self-reliance, and social acceptance among people who have left violence behind, government officials and organisers said.
When the former Naxals walked the ramp, the audience erupted in applause and appreciation. Many took the moment as emotional and inspiring and said the women were in character and with dignity and confidence. Rehabilitation wasn’t only about money but also about building self-esteem and getting people involved in society.
Many former Naxals are now engaged in agriculture, handicrafts, small businesses, vocational training, and other livelihoods, rehabilitation programs said officials who work on rehabilitation programs to date. They also have been empowered by education and skill development programs introduced by the state government. Such programs are designed to develop sustainable futures for surrendered cadres in order to minimise the likelihood of returning to extremist activities and to help them be able to go back and build a new life.
#WATCH | Raipur, Chhattisgarh: Former women Naxals, who once carried weapons in the dense forests of Bastar, walked the ramp to huge applause at a National Handloom Day event in Raipur after joining the mainstream. (07.08) pic.twitter.com/51mc8lEXWE
— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2026
The National Handloom Day was a fitting site for this transformation. India’s handloom sector is deeply rooted in rural communities and traditional craftsmanship. Wearing handloom products on the runway promoted local artisans and also helped to convey a message of cultural pride and social inclusion for the world.
But the event also served as an opportunity to underscore the broad effort Chhattisgarh is putting into tackling extremism through security measures, development schemes, and rehabilitation programs. People who are willing to surrender and come back in once more are provided with financial assistance, vocational training, housing support, and employment opportunities, authorities have said.
Social activists and community leaders said the initiative sends a strong message that change is possible. Recruiting and educating people so that rehabilitation works for the long term is a necessity. Such events help to break stereotypes and make former insurgents seen not only for their past but also for what they can do in the future and what they have to offer.
For women who once lived in Bastar’s forests in the midst of conflict and uncertainty, a walk down the runway was much more than a fashion show. It was courage, redemption, a new chapter with hope and opportunity. Their journey from carrying weapons to confidently presenting handloom attire is a great example of the transformation, the chance of a better future and the possibility of inclusion and reconciliation.
