Vijay Chinthakayala Ayyannapatrudu took his oath as a Rajya Sabha MP on June 25, 2026.
The choice of a traditional Mangalagiri cotton shawl highlighted a historic handloom tradition.
The Mangalagiri weaving community has declined from 20,000 to 6,000 weavers since the 1990s.
The gesture reflects political commitments to support local artisans and boost international branding for the craft.