Bollywood actor Sonali Bendre was also present at the event.
Union Minister of Textiles Piyush Goyal on Sunday flagged off the ‘One Bharat Sari Walkathon’ in Mumbai and started the event by making a playful reference to a popular social media trend. As he inaugurated the event, Mr Goyal addressed the women and said, “Let’s start it (Walkathon) now… I just want to say, this is a wow. So beautiful, so elegant, looking like a wow…”
”The diversity of our country could be seen today during this Walkathon. A large number of women are enthusiastically participating in this Walkathon,” he added.
Watch the video here:
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Union Minister of Textiles Piyush Goyal says, “Let’s start it (Walkathon) now… I just want to say, this is a wow. So beautiful, so elegant, looking like a wow…” https://t.co/fAgvl4rrmEpic.twitter.com/dtf96uczK5
— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2023
The event organized by the Ministry of Textiles aimed to promote the handloom sari culture in India by inviting the participation of women across the country to showcase their ways of wearing saris and present India as a country of “Unity in Diversity”.
Celebrities including Sonali Bendre, Rupali Ganguly, and others also graced the event.
“It will also promote the spirit of traditional textiles & support the idea of “Vocal for Local” and will raise awareness about fitness among women and to encourage them to lead healthier lives,” an official release by The Ministry of Textiles said.
Mr Goyal used the viral meme last month too when India crushed Sri Lanka during the ICC Cricket World Cup. He took to X and shared a picture of Virat Kohli and Shubhman Gill alongside a picture of Mohammad Shami celebrating his achievement. “So beautiful…So elegant…Just WOW #INDvSL,” the Minister of Commerce and Industry wrote in the post.
Notably, the “Just looking like a wow!” trend started after a video of Delhi-based businesswoman Jasmeen Kaur went viral in October. In the video, Ms Kaur repeatedly used the phrase “just looking like a wow” to describe the clothes, and her infectious energy and excitement quickly made the video go viral. People began using the phrase to describe everything, from their favorite outfits to their everyday activities. Several film stars, politicians, and cricketers have shared reels on the same.