The North Eastern (NE) states of India have the largest concentration of handlooms in the country (more than 65% of the total looms). However, a majority (62%) of the looms in NE states are engaged in domestic production only. The weavers of Thenzawl cluster, located in Serchhip district of Mizoram, have redefined the quintessential ‘marginalized weaver’ as a strongly motivated woman entrepreneur who has transformed the role of weaving from a mere wage-earning activity or a domestic chore to a commercially viable enterprise, regardless of the number of looms owned. This paper enquires into the role of motivation in the overall process of entrepreneurship in the cluster by examining the entrepreneurial motivations such as entrepreneurial ambitions, reasons compelling entrepreneurs to enter the industry, factors facilitating their entry into entrepreneurship and whether they would like their children to continue as entrepreneurs in the same industry.

Many microenterprise-based handloom clusters have been in existence for centuries in India. India developed a system of specialized handloom concentrations throughout the country where the entire village was considered as a workshop. The distinguishing qualities (perfection in art, durability and appeal) inherent in the Indian craftsmanship brought everlasting laurels of name and fame to India in the past (Khanka, 2005). The handlooms of India are also acclaimed for their exquisite designs, colors and workmanship. The gossamer silk of Varanasi, fine muslin of Dacca (now in Bangladesh), Patola of Baroda and other fabrics of Assam, Manipur, Odisha and south India have been famous for ages. The export of handwoven cloth dates back to the times of Gautama Buddha and hand fabrics of India occupied a priceless position in the early civilizations of Egypt and Rome (Ministry of Textiles, 1964). The handloom sector suffered a setback during the pre-independence era and steadily declined over the 18^th and 19^th centuries.

Often considered as the vestige of the traditional sector, the handloom sector not only represents the rich heritage of India but is also the second largest employment provider after agriculture. Though the sector is struggling to survive in the present times of globalization, it continues to play a crucial role in the Indian economy as it provides employment to nearly 27.83 lakh handloom households engaged in weaving and allied activities, out of which 87% are located in rural India and 13% in urban India. About 10% of the handloom households belong to Scheduled Castes (SCs), 22% belong to Scheduled Tribes (STs) and 41% are from Other Backward Castes (OBCs). About 77.4% of the handloom workforce comprises women and most of them are located in rural areas (NCAER, 2010).

The North Eastern (NE) states of India have the largest concentration of handlooms in the country (more than 65% of the total looms), and out of 43.3 lakh handloom workers, 21.56 lakh (about 50%) belong to the NE states. Assam has the largest number of looms in the region, followed by Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. However, a majority (62%) of the looms in NE states are engaged in domestic production only. Mizoram has a handloom workforce of 43,528 persons working on 23,938 looms (NCAER, 2010).

Entrepreneurship Development Journal, Motivational Factors, Tribal Entrepreneurs, Handloom, Clusters, A Case Study of Thenzawl, Mizoram.