Khadi: From Gandhi’s dream to Modi’s nation-building triumph
The humble hand-spun, hand-woven fabric, Khadi, which Mahatma Gandhi envisioned as the ‘life force of Swadeshi self-reliance’, has experienced an unprecedented renaissance, transforming into a vibrant catalyst for rural economic empowerment and ‘Viksit Bharat’ under the resolute leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a glorious saga termed the ‘Khadi Revolution’, the past eleven years have seen the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) ascend from Bapu’s ‘Dream’ to the ambitious trajectory of ‘Sankalp Se Siddhi’, achieving historic, ground-breaking milestones that have bolstered the dignity and livelihoods of crores of rural citizens.
According to Manoj Kumar, Chairman, Khadi and Village Industries Commission, KVIC has not only built a strong foundation for the economic upliftment of rural India but has also ignited a national consciousness through campaigns like ‘Har Ghar Swadeshi, Ghar Ghar Swadeshi’ and ‘Garv se Kaho Yeh Swadeshi Hai’. Khadi, he notes, is no longer merely a fabric, but the animating force of the nation-building campaign, powered by ‘Brand Modi’.
Provisional figures released by KVIC for the financial year 2024-25 underscore the extraordinary progress. For the first time in independent India’s history, the combined business of Khadi and village industries has dramatically surpassed Rs 1.70 lakh crore.
The ‘Khadi Revolution’ statistics are staggering: Production has witnessed a massive 350 per cent increase, and sales have recorded an astonishing 450 per cent surge. Employment generation has achieved a historic jump of 49.06 per cent, providing employment to more than 1.94 crore people across the country — a record milestone.
The growth in Khadi garments alone is spectacular, with sales witnessing a 561 per cent increase, rising from Rs 1.08 thousand crore in 2013-14 to over Rs 7.1 thousand crore in 2024-25. This success is directly attributed to PM Modi’s incessant promotion of Khadi, which has made the mantra ‘Khadi for Nation, Khadi for Fashion, Khadi for Transformation’ a mass movement.
A crucial component of this success is the concerted push towards self-employment. The Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) has facilitated the establishment of over 10.18 lakh micro units, disbursing over Rs 27.1 thousand crore in margin money subsidy, creating direct and indirect employment for more than 90 lakh people.
Furthermore, under the Gramodyog Vikas Yojana, key initiatives like the Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana (KSY) have distributed 39,694 electric potter’s wheels, with a total of over 2.88 lakh machines and equipment provided to various artisans, reinforcing the ‘Aatmanirbhar’ vision for rural India. The ‘Honey Mission’ alone has distributed approximately 2.27 lakh bee-boxes, benefiting over 27,324 beneficiaries and contributing to honey exports worth Rs 162.27 crore.
KVIC has also made unparalleled contributions to women’s empowerment. A total of over 8.37 lakh persons have received training, with women constituting 58.63 per cent of the trainees and approximately 80 per cent of Khadi artisans. In recognition of their labour, the remuneration of Khadi artisans has seen a 275 per cent increase over the past 11 years.
From the revamp of the New Delhi Khadi Gramodyog Bhawan, which has more than doubled its annual business to Rs 112.38 crore, to collaborations with institutions like NIFT for the ‘Centre of Excellence for Khadi’, innovation is driving the creation of ‘Naye Bharat ki Nayi Khadi’.
PM Modi has consistently lauded Khadi’s journey, describing it as a symbol of patriotism, dignity, and self-reliance. His appeal on ‘Mann Ki Baat’ to adopt Khadi has transformed it into a mass movement, culminating in
record-breaking single-day sales, proving that Khadi is today “not just cloth but a symbol of nation building, Swadeshi consciousness, and rural India’s renaissance.” Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah is laying foundation stone for renovation of Khadi flagship store at Connaught Place, New Delhi.
