The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu today appealed to the citizens to treat khadi as a ‘National Fabric’ and promote its use extensively. Shri Naidu called upon celebrities from various fields to come forward and promote the use of Khadi in a big way.

The Vice President was speaking at the launch of the ‘Khadi India Quiz Contest’ organized as part of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

Urging everyone to take part in the ‘Khadi India Quiz Contest’, he said, the contest was an interesting way of taking us back to our roots as it recollects the historic moments of our freedom struggle and the unparalleled contribution of our great freedom fighters.

Recalling his visit to Dandi on April 6th this year to attend the concluding ceremony of the ceremonial ‘Dandi March’ organised as part of ‘Aazadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the Vice President said that interacting with the marchers who had participated in the ceremonial Dandi March gave him an opportunity to relive the moments of India’s past glory and termed it as “a very enriching experience”.

Describing India’s freedom struggle as a saga of bravery, resilience and devout patriotism, the Vice President mentioned how the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi galvanized the masses across the length and breadth of the country in the fight against colonial rule. Observing that men and women from all sections and all hues participated in the freedom struggle, he said “It indeed was an unparalleled phenomenon in the annals of human history”.

Recalling the supreme sacrifice of our freedom fighters, the Vice President mentioned that freedom fighters like Matangini Hazra, Bhagat Singh, Pritilata Waddedar, Rajguru, Sukhdev and thousands of others, did not think twice before sacrificing their lives to realize their common dream of a free nation. He said, “These valorous men and women made paramount sacrifices despite knowing that they would not be alive to see their dream turn into a reality.”

He said that our freedom struggle was a journey of resilience and hope “which inspires us to keep moving no matter how adverse the situation gets”. He said that there was much to learn from our freedom fighters, especially the spirit of keeping the interests of our motherland ahead of everything else.

Shri Naidu expressed his happiness over the phenomenal turnaround of Khadi in the last 7 years and lauded the government, KVIC and all the stakeholders for accelerating the growth. “I am happy to note that KVIC has succeeded in establishing a pan-India reach and has connected people with sustainable self-employment activities even in the remotest corners of the country,” he added.

The Vice President recalled the historical relevance of Khadi and said it was a binding force for the masses during the freedom movement. Shri Naidu mentioned how Mahatma Gandhi in the year 1918 started the Khadi movement to generate a source of income for the poverty-stricken masses and later turned it into a powerful symbolic tool against foreign rule.

Referring to the environmental benefits of Khadi, the Vice President mentioned that Khadi has zero carbon footprint as it does not require electricity or any kind of fuel for its manufacturing. He said, “At a time when the world is looking for sustainable alternatives in clothing, it should be remembered that Khadi as an eco-friendly and sustainable fabric certainly meets the requirement.”

The Vice President called upon educational institutions to explore using Khadi for uniforms. He said that it will not only give students an opportunity to experience the many benefits of Khadi but will also help them connect with our great freedom fighters and freedom movement. “Due to its porous texture, Khadi is eminently suitable for our local climatic conditions,” he added. He appealed to the youth to make Khadi a fashion statement and promote its use among everyone with passion.

Minister for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Shri Narayan Rane, Minister of State for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, Khadi & Village Industries Commission, Secretary, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Shri BB Swain and others were present during the event.