Organized annually to promote Khadi and other indigenous artifacts among the public, Khadi Saras Mela-2018 concluded on a high note here on Sunday. Applauding the initiatives taken by Jharkhand Khadi Board in the recent times to promote and revive Khadi culture among the residents besides providing a platform to the artisans, Governor, Draupadi Murmu said, “The initiative taken up by Jharkhand Khadi Board will help in building the brand image of Jharkhand across the country. The participation of artisans from 22 States is worth appreciating, this will aid in promoting the activities of Jharkhand State Khadi Board in different States in a better way.”
The Governor, who was speaking during the concluding ceremony of the event further added that through this platform, several dying artifacts have been revived yet again. “The presence of people in this mega event shows how Khadi has revived itself here creating immense opportunities for the artisans. As per my experience, I can aptly say that Jharkhand is one such State where promotion of Khadi has been done enormously revitalizing the cottage industries. This enthusiasm must be maintained by the Board,” she further added.
Meanwhile, the Governor stated that Khadi can prove a boon for those who are yet to be brought into mainstream through its wide promotion. Remembering the importance of Khadi during the independence era, she further added that Khadi has the potential to generate employment even in the age where industrialization is being promoted significantly. Introducing the concept of Solar Charkhas (spinning wheels) is a worth commendable step regarding this.
The Governor also felicitated the winners on the occasion. Meanwhile, registering its strong presence among every individual, Khadi Mela, this year, showcased varied varieties of goods, specialties from across the nation besides conducting different cultural activities. Huge footfall was witnessed on the concluding day where several eminent dignitaries also registered their presence.
Expressing happiness over the participation of public in one of the biggest annual fair while sharing the details of sale of items during the event, Chairperson, Khadi Board, Sanjay Seth said, “From Day one, we received overwhelming response of the city residents. Getting bigger with every passing year, the initiatives of organizing committee members had proved worthy. This has encouraged us to do better. As far as sale amount is considered, items worth Rs. 1 crore and above has been sold out this year.”
From fashion shows to career counseling, the Khadi Board this year utilized several innovative measures to captivate the interest of public through different activities.
This year, with an aim to attract youths predominately, events like Khadi Fashion Show registering the presence of students from around 18 colleges were organized for the first time. Besides this, ‘Ranchi Election Fest-2018’ also saw huge participation of youths. One of the prime attractions of the event was ‘India’s second biggest Charkha’ installed at the fair.