Master craftsman who has endeavored to enrich and glorify the splendid style of tie and dye art popularly known as Ikkat is Surendra Kumar Meher. The master weaver is the son of legendary Ikkat weaver Padmashree Kunja Bihari Meher. He lives with his wife, a son and two daughters. From childhood,  he  learnt the stages and techniques of  weaving from his father.

After graduating from Sambalpur University, Orissa, he devoted himself to a this traditional art by innovating and experimenting with new designs in cotton and silk yarns. He has created intricate and beautiful works that can never be reproduced by machine. As a young artist, he created a record by receiving the State Award of Orissa for three years consequently (1987,1988,1989). He also received the National Award in 1991 and Kalanidhi Award from Suraj Kund Craft Mela in 1993. He has participated and exhibited his creations in Craft Melas at Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune,  Surajkund and New Delhi.  Surendra  Kumar  Meher represented the country in the "India Week" exhibition at Algurair Centre, Dubai in 1994 and "India - A celebration" to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Indian independence at Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, U.S.A in 1997. His classic creations - Kala-Ratna sarees in Cotton and Silk have been permanently displayed in the Crafts Museum, New Delhi and Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, U.S.A.