PM Modi Says ‘Even Statues At Konark Sport Mini Skirts’ While Drawing A Parallel Between Ancient Temples And Fashion

During the presentation of the inaugural National Creators Award at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized India’s historical leadership in the world of fashion. While conferring the “Heritage Fashion Icon Award” to Jahnvi Singh, PM Modi referred to a statue in Konark that portrays fashionable women in ancient India.

PM Modi highlighted India’s longstanding influence on global fashion trends, citing the existence of a statue in Konark, thousands of years old, depicting a girl in a mini skirt with a purse. He noted that this historical representation indicates the sculptors of ancient India possessed knowledge of fashion.

PM Modi said, “India has been the leader in the world of fashion. Many will be surprised to know if today people feel mini skirt is a symbol of modernity or women holding purses. If you go to Konark- out of many statues in thousand year old temples, one statue is of a girl wearing a mini skirt and a purse hanging from her hand. This means thousands of years ago, even a sculptor had the knowledge of fashion in our country.”

Coinciding with International Women’s Day, PM Modi praised the growing role of women in India’s economy and recognized several women as award winners during the event. He acknowledged the significant economic contributions made by women in villages, tribal areas, and mountain regions.

The National Creators Awards, aimed at fostering positive transformation through creativity, seek to recognize exceptional contributions in various fields, including storytelling, social advocacy, environmental stewardship, education, and gaming.

Besides Jahnvi Singh, other notable recipients at the inaugural National Creators Awards included Pankhti Pandey, honoured as a ‘Green Champion,’ Keerthika Govindasamy as the best storyteller, and Maithili Thakur as the ‘Cultural Ambassador of the Year.’ Technical Guruji, Gaurav Chaudhary, received the award for the Best Creator in the Tech Category, while Kamiya Jani was acknowledged as the Favourite Travel Creator.