The Hindu Business Line : Flying kites and soaring fortunes

THIS is the kite-flying season in Gujarat and coming right after the Navratri Global Investors' Summit of September 2003, the State is readying for yet another business summit of the Vibrant variety. But, then, vibrancy seems to be the leit motif of the present government, as it appears that following right on heels would be Vibrant Holi, by which time it could be election time at the Centre.

If it was the Reliance group that had footed the bill for the Vibrant Gujarat meet last September, then it is the Essar group that would be doing the honours for the kite festival and the Vibrant Gujarat Uttarayan. Thus, two of the largest corporate houses in the country are seen vying with each other to finance the mega events and the Gujarat Government seems to have come of age as a programme host. More or less in the same vein as sponsors queuing up to fill the coffers as one would expect with any one of the successful soaps on the television channel these days.

The success of this sponsorship formula has been so overwhelming that now even non-vibrant events are getting sponsors in Gujarat as the Reliance Group has taken the onus to showcase the Republic Day later this month at Jamnagar. Which means that the main Republic Day event this year would not be at Ahmedabad or the state capital, Gandhinagar. A precedent for such a federal manner of celebrating national festivals was already set when the state celebrated the main event for Independence Day 2003 at Patan, in North Gujarat.

Come January 14 and the skies of Gujarat would turn into a sea of colours, while the kite manufacturing industry, conservatively valued at Rs 150 crore per annum, will be congratulating itself on yet another successful year that lasted all of 20 days. According to industry watchers, this is one industry, with proper corporate backing, that has the potential to reach Rs 500 crore in the next few years.

No wonder then, that many months before the Uttarayan, thousands of households across Gujarat turn into kite-producing factories with all members doing their bit in the seasonal cottage business. The paper and sticks are cut, the glue is stirred and millions of kites fly into the market. The string is coated with a special glass powder and rice paste to give it the edge to cut down a rival's kite; this also ensure that more kites are bought and the volume of business reaches the sky.

Therefore, one has participants for the Gujarat International Kite Festival coming in from Japan, Australia, Malaysia, the US, Brazil, and Canada and Europe. Not surprisingly, corporate houses are beginning to realise the potential of this festival for promoting their brands cost-effectively. Those who have got into the act include a couple of cellular telephone operators, a few tobacco companies, the beverage manufacturers and even some Old Economy manufacturing companies from segments such as cement.

Quick on the take as usual and smelling a distinct business opportunity, the Gujarat Government is now toying with the idea of announcing a separate policy to promote this industry. The other reported initiative by the State would be to encash on the rush of the non-resident Gujaratis (NRGs) to their home State during the Christmas holidays to enlarge the scope of the Uttarayan festival under the aegis of Vishwa Gujarati Parivaar Mahotsav.

Giving a fillip to this sentiment are leaders of the Asian community such as the London-based Mr Manoj Ladva, who is in Ahmedabad during the festival. "Uttarayan festival has great potential of becoming an international favourite, and the State government's idea of involving the NRI community in the overall development is a welcome step," Mr Ladva said.

To ensure that the Global Gujarat theme does not lose steam, the Gujarat Government intends to invite the sons of the soil, living around the globe, to come and witness Uttarayan — when the Sun is said to change direction north — in their homeland. Given that it is holiday time across the major international cities and it is normal home-coming period for the NRGs, the Government is hopeful that Vibrant Uttarayan will receive more international response than Vibrant Navratri did.

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