Mamallapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a unique hand-woven, silk portrait of Chinese President XI Jinping to the Chinese leader. He also gifted an exquisite Kanjeevaram silk saree for the Chinese leader’s wife. An official said, the portrait was created by the master weavers of Sri Ramalinga Sowdambigai Handloom weaver’s co-operative society in Sirumugaipudur in Coimbatore district.

             He said, a 240-hooks electronic jacquard helped encode the pattern into the design punch cards that created the thread patterns used by the master weavers. The warp and weft used is 20/22 denier silk.