The Indian Institute  of Handloom Technology Salem,  is functioning under the administrative   control of O/o the Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.  The institute is  located in  a lush green campus  of about 40 acres  popularly known as Foulke’s compound.  Foulke’s compound has a long history of 218 years from the days of the Commercial Residency of the British Imperialism  to the present day. 

 

    The All India Handloom Board was constituted in 1957 under the chairpersonship of Mrs. Pupul Jayakar,  the then Honorary Advisor (Handlooms).  All India Handloom Board, formulated a scheme  for the technological upgradation and to cater trained technical personnel to the Handloom Industry.  Hence it was decided to set up two Institutes of Handloom Technology, one for the South and  the other one for the North.

 

     The committee, selected Salem for locating the  Institute  as it was the biggest  Handloom hub  in the South.

 

    The Textile Institute at Washermanpet, Chennai under the control of the Madras Govt was taken over with staff and equipment, shifted to Salem and established as an Indian Institute of Handloom Technology in the year 1960.  The Salem Institute was formally inaugurated  on 11th October 1960 by Shri K Kamaraj the then Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu.

           

   The year 1975 was an year of great significance   for the Handloom Industry in general and  to this Institute in particular.  It was during this  year (from 01 .07.1975)  the Prime Minister’s 20 point Economic programme  was launched. One of the points in the programme emphasized the development of the handloom industry. Subsequently,   several  schemes for the development of handloom Industry were initiated.  A separate O/o Development Commissioner for Handlooms was established with Headquarters at Udhog Bhavan, New Delhi.  Sri Mani Narayanaswamy, I.A.S. took charge as the first D.C.H.