Sri Lankan Textile Designer and Chartered Textile Technologist Chandramani Thenuwara was bestowed with the Institute Medal 2019 for Design at the 109th AGM and award event of the TEXTILE INSTITUTE UK the Institute that conducts Chartered exams by Royal Charter.
The Award, a First for Sri Lanka is given to professional designers or group of designers who have devoted themselves to, and made substantial contributions in the field of textile design and design management. The medal was presented to her by the Chairman of the Textile Institute, UK, Helen Rowe, in the presence of Prof. Rohana Kuruppu, Chairman, Textile Institute, Sri Lanka Section during a ceremony held at The Lowry, Salford Quays, Manchester, UK, recently. She was proposed and nominated for this award by Prof Rohana U. Kuruppu, FTI. C. Text and Head of Brandix College, Ratmalana.
Incidentally, the sari that Chandra wore for the event was from her original collection of Shaded Spectrum Colour saris which proved to be the turning point for sari sales for the Dept. of Small Industries in the 1980s. Evidently, her style of shaded hand-woven colour is still being woven in myriad different colours throughout the weaving industry in Sri Lanka and is now a Category of Design for which an Award is given at the Annual National Award Event.
Her personal collection of fabrics designed by her, including these saris, have been donated to the National Museum, Colombo, which students can access for their research work via the Museum Director.
Chandra made it a point to mention that her design work was translated into fabric entirely by the skilled hand-weavers of Sri Lanka-this is why, she says she dedicated her last solo exhibition to them-making this an International Award for them as well.
Chandra has been the recipient of many awards and accolades throughout her career. She was the first Sri Lankan woman to qualify abroad as a Chartered Textile Technologist, and the first Sri Lankan woman Fellow of The Textile Institute U.K. She was felicitated by the University of Moratuwa Department of Integrated Design, “in appreciation of your lifetime contribution towards the field of Design’’ at the grand finale of the Graduation Fashion Show of their prestigious event DESIGN WEEK 2018 at The Independence Arcade. Chandramani spent most of her life working with rural weavers and university students. She had a rare aptitude in combining her vast creative talent in art which she accumulated as a student of Cora Abraham with her academic education and knowledge she received to qualify as a Chartered Textile Technologist in England. On returning home she worked tirelessly in imparting her knowledge to a large number of rural women who made a living by working at various weaving centres throughout the country.
This she did by making her services available to the Department of Small Industries as a Textile Designer where she was responsible for lifting the standards and innovation of hand-weaving design of the Government Handloom Industry, and also extending her services towards educating the new generation of textile/fashion designers.
Ms Thenuwara is currently a visiting lecturer in the Fashion/Textile Design Degree Course at the Department of Textile & Clothing Technology, University of Moratuwa. She is also the Honorary Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Cora Abraham Art Classes for children.