The Hindu Business Line : Gandhigiri in fashion

We needed a Lage Raho Munnabhai to remind us about Mahatma Gandhi and Gandhism a.k.a. `Gandhigiri' — never mind the loud humour, Gandhiji was `resurrected' in the Gen Next psyche. A similar, albeit muted, revival is on at the very Gandhian public sector entities, the Khadi Village Industries Commission and Khadi Village Industries Board. With the young and old alike showing an interest in khadi textiles, `Gandhiji's' khadi has turned into a style statement.

But what beats the heat out of the manufacturers of natural/herbal cosmetics in the private sector is the range of `Khadi' cosmetics and toiletries. The niftily packaged products are available at exclusive Khadi outlets in Delhi and Mumbai, and at all `Health and Glow' outlets across the country. What's more, the proudly branded `Khadi' products have found enthusiastic takers among the `anti-chemical, pro-natural' lobbyists.

Browsing around at the Khadi outlet in Delhi's Khan Market or at the `heritage' Connaught Place or even Jammu's Gandhi Sewa Sadan is enough to show you that the `Khadi' range is something to write home about. Right from baby soaps to body scrubs for all skin types, shampoo variants for different hair conditions and body lotions with Indian floral-herbal perfumes — there is a wealth of choice.

Packed in simple transparent wrappers and bottles, the contents list the quantity and ingredients — in line with global trade norms.

The textiles of course are the rage and the Khadi showroom at Connaught Place is teeming with trendy Indian and western wear that are both environment-friendly and user-friendly.

Interestingly, the soaps and toiletries are not sourced from any single manufacturer. "Since the entire sector comes under the village industries nomenclature, it is essentially a rural employment generation scheme where self-help groups as well as small entrepreneurs are financed by banks and the KVIC to make small and tiny-sector products such as soaps, lotions, candles and so on while textiles is slightly big though it necessarily falls into the rural activity criteria," says an Andhra Pradesh KVIB official.

The Government extends financial assistance in the form of margin money for two years "which in another term gets converted to subsidy to the extent of 25 per cent with an added 5 per cent in case of special categories like women, weaker classes and physically challenged. The entrepreneur is expected to take a bank loan in the first place which is partly payable through the subsidy," says T.S. Laali, Under Secretary, Ministry of Agro and Rural Industries, Government of India, which refinances the Khadi Commission.

The returns in urban areas for specialised products and textiles are certainly high, say the officials.

At a time when the retail sector is teeming with big corporate houses and high-profile private players, a Government-run rural venture is gamely making efforts to hold its own.

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