Rupa Basini

19th century Indian textile innovator who preserved traditional weaving techniques

Rupa Basini (1832-1899) was a visionary weaver from the town of Murshidabad in Bengal who preserved India's endangered silk-weaving traditions. During British colonial rule, she developed a hybrid technique combining traditional 'jamdani' methods with European jacquard loom technology. Her 1858 invention of the 'Basini Shuttle' allowed intricate floral patterns to be woven three times faster than traditional methods. Discover her weaving innovations.

Basini established the first women's cooperative in 1872 to train 200+ artisans, ensuring the survival of Bengal's famous 'Baluchari' silk tradition. Her 1885 book Weaving the Past into the Future documented endangered techniques. She successfully petitioned the British government to protect traditional designs from European imitations. Her legacy today.