Draft:Motilal Dewangan
Motilal Dewangan is an Indian politician and former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Constituency No. 34, Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh, serving from 2003 to 2008 and again from 2013 to 2018. He is known for his long-standing leadership in the handloom and handicrafts weavers cooperative movement in Chhattisgarh and for his work promoting the state's Kosa Silk internationally. He belongs to the Dewangan (weaver) community, classified under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
Early Life
Motilal Dewangan was born on 05 July 1955 in Champa, Chhattisgarh, the son of the late Shri Mahesh Ram Dewangan. He was born into an ordinary weaver family that struggled with poverty. When Motilal was 4–5 years old, his grandfather passed away, placing added responsibility on his father, who became responsible for supporting the entire joint family as the eldest of five brothers and two sisters. Under difficult circumstances in pre-independence India, his father obtained only limited education and worked in weaving, which sustained the household.
Education
Motilal Dewangan completed his primary and secondary education at a government school in Champa. His father initially refused to allow him to continue his education further. However, after seeing his friends gain admission to colleges in Durg and Raipur, Motilal persisted and, after much persuasion, convinced his father to let him pursue higher education. This moment became a turning point that gave him the courage and inspiration to eventually take his work to larger cities. He went on to complete his Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) degree.
Career
Motilal Dewangan's professional background is in agriculture and weaving. After completing his studies, he began working in the weaving and export trade. He started by taking samples to the main market and collaborating with exporters based in Mumbai. His business grew gradually as orders accumulated, though his financial circumstances remained difficult initially—he often struggled to afford expenses beyond his travel costs. Traders he encountered along his business journey extended him considerable support and professional respect.
A defining turning point in his business came when a Mumbai-based exporter invited him to join a business trip to France, Canada, and the United States. Though he wanted to go, he hesitated, citing his father's likely opposition, his lack of money, no knowledge of foreign languages, and no passport. The exporter reassured him that arrangements and expenses would be taken care of and offered to lend him money, which Motilal agreed to repay later. In April 1982, Motilal undertook his first foreign business trip, marking the beginning of his independent business venture.
International Handloom Promotion
From 1983 to 1998, Motilal Dewangan travelled to approximately 40 countries to promote handloom fabric, particularly Chhattisgarh's Kosa Silk. His travels included the United States, South American countries (Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Mexico), Canada, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Switzerland, among others.
Cooperative Leadership
Throughout his career, Motilal has held numerous leadership positions within the handloom and handicrafts weavers cooperative sector in Chhattisgarh. He served as elected Chairman of the Janjgir-Champa District Handloom and Handicrafts Weavers Co-operative Federation Ltd., Raipur, from 1998 to 2013. He was founder Chairman of the Chhattisgarh State Handloom Weavers Development Co-operative Federation Ltd., Raipur, from 2000 to 2004. He was elected Chairman of the Chhattisgarh State Handloom and Handicrafts Weavers Co-operative Federation Ltd., Raipur, from 2016 to 2021.
Congress Party Roles
Motilal served as Treasurer of the Bilaspur District Congress Committee from 1998 to 2000 and as Secretary of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee from 2000 to 2004. He was appointed as a Member of the Central Monitoring Committee by the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) in 2007–2008 and is a Member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).
Political Career
Around the age of 40, in 1992, Motilal was approached to contest the Vidhan Sabha (state assembly) election from the Champa-Janjgir constituency in undivided Madhya Pradesh. Having no prior experience in active politics, he was unsuccessful in this first attempt. He did not lose courage and remained engaged with his constituency from November 1998 onwards, maintaining personal contact with residents village by village. He believes this sustained, grassroots engagement distinguished his approach from conventional party politics.
Legislative Service
Motilal Dewangan served as MLA for Janjgir-Champa, Constituency No. 34, from 2003 to 2008 and from 2013 to 2018. He successfully won elections in both 2003 and 2013, securing two terms of legislative service. He was appointed Sachetak (Whip) of the Congress Vidhayak Dal in the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha from 2015 to 2018.
He served as an elected member of several assembly committees, including the S.C./S.T. and O.B.C. Sadsya Suwidha Samiti, Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha, in 2007 and 2014; the P.U.C. Committee, Chhattisgarh State Assembly, in 2007 and 2014; the Public Accounts Committee, Chhattisgarh Assembly, for 2015–16; the Prakkalan Samiti (Estimates Committee), Chhattisgarh Assembly, for 2015–16; the SC/ST/OBC Committee, Chhattisgarh Assembly, for 2016–17; and the Question and Reference Committee, Chhattisgarh Assembly, for 2016–17.
In January 2014, he served as Chairman of a five-member MLA Inspection Committee appointed by the Chief Legislative Party (CLP) Leader of the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha to investigate the death of 22 deer at Pendari-Kanan, Bilaspur.
Election Observation and Facilitation
Motilal Dewangan has served as an election facilitator and observer for the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) on several occasions. He served as Facilitator for the Jharkhand State Assembly Election 2014 for the Kodarma Lok Sabha constituency, appointed by the AICC. He was appointed Observer for the Durg (Chhattisgarh) Municipal Corporation Election 2014 by the PCC; as Observer for the Vikaspuri (Delhi) Assembly Election 2015 by the AICC; as Observer for the Jila Panchayat Election 2020 in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, by the PCC; and as Observer for the Assembly by-poll in Anuppur seat, Madhya Pradesh, 2020, by the AICC. He was also appointed Observer for the Chhattisgarh Urban Election 2025, Nagar Nigam Bilaspur, by the PCC. He has served as A.P.R.O. (All India Political Relations Officer) for Karnataka State, appointed by the AICC.
Achievements
Motilal Dewangan received the Best MLA of the Year award for 2014 from the Chhattisgarh Assembly in recognition of his legislative work and service to his constituency.
Personal Life
Motilal is married and has two sons and four daughters, all of whom are married. He maintains his family home in Dewangan Mohalla near Santoshi Mandir in Champa and also resides in Raipur. His father was a long-time Congress supporter, an inclination that influenced Motilal's own political involvement.
Contact Information
Permanent Address: Dewangan Mohalla, Near Santoshi Mandir, Champa – 495671, Janjgir-Champa district, Chhattisgarh Raipur Address: Charkha, 19 M.L.A. Colony, Purena, Raipur, Chhattisgarh Mobile: 094252-23284, 70007-28466 Email: motilaldewangan622@gmail.com