Kohima, May 27 -- In a region where traditions are woven into the very fabric of identity, the Indian Army has quietly sparked a movement of empowerment through looms, beads, and age-old wisdom. In the hills and valleys of Manipur and Nagaland, where shawls signify status and beads embody ancestral spirits, women reclaim their heritage as a symbol of pride and as a source of livelihood and economic resilience.

According to an official release, this movement took root organically. During their deployment in remote villages, Army personnel were often felicitated by local women with handwoven shawls, bead jewellery, and herbal cosmetic items. These gestures unveiled a rich cultural heritage, but the know-how remained known to very few peopl...