On Friday, Harivansh Singh, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, remarked on the significant historical impact of khadi in India’s struggle for independence, noting that its relevance had diminished over time, becoming mainly associated with political rhetoric and formal occasions. However, he highlighted a remarkable revival of khadi under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guidance, stating that sales have surged by 500% over the last decade.
Speaking at a gathering at Gujarat Vidyapith (GV) in celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, Singh emphasized that Gandhi transformed the charkha, or spinning wheel, into a powerful emblem of empowerment for marginalized communities. This initiative aimed to restore India’s economic strength, which had been depleted prior to independence.
Singh, who serves on the Content Advisory Committee for the Rs 1200 crore Sabarmati Ashram redevelopment initiative, expressed that the charkha represented more than just a tool for spinning yarn; it symbolized a significant movement toward uplifting millions of underprivileged villagers in India. He stated, “Khadi played a crucial role in our freedom movement but began to lose its significance post-independence, relegated to political speeches and select formal gatherings.” He attributed the resurgence of khadi and village industries to PM Modi’s leadership, citing provisional statistics from the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) that indicate a 501% increase in khadi sales from 2013-14 to 2025-26.
He elaborated on the government’s initiatives, such as “Vocal For Local,” “Local to Global,” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat,” noting that these concepts are rooted in a philosophy of economic revival linked to handspun fabric and the charkha. Singh mentioned that khadi production has nearly quintupled since 2013-14, and highlighted PM Modi’s vision for khadi as “Khadi for Nation, Khadi for Fashion, Khadi for Transformation,” which has revitalized its image as a contemporary symbol of style and national pride.
Singh stressed that khadi represents not just an economic concept but a swadeshi symbol opposing colonialism. He pointed out that India’s economy has strengthened under PM Modi’s leadership, aligning with Gandhi’s principles. Referring to a book, Singh suggested that post-independence, India strayed from Gandhi’s developmental vision, which contributed to the struggles faced by the populace.
He remarked, “Since 2014, India has transformed from being part of the so-called ‘Fragile Five’ to a robust economic entity, a change that is now widely acknowledged. The Prime Minister deserves credit for implementing many of Gandhi’s principles at the grassroots level through various policies and programs initiated since 2014.”
During his address, Singh outlined several policy initiatives and campaigns aligned with Gandhi’s ideals that have been adopted by the Modi administration over the past decade, including the new education policy, Swachh Bharat Mission, Make in India, and Start Up India.
“Gandhiji advocated for decentralized development. Today, we observe a shift in development from major urban centers to smaller towns and ultimately to rural areas. He also championed the political and social empowerment of women; currently, women are key contributors or stakeholders in half of all startups, which have created 2.5 million jobs. The ‘One District One Product’ initiative has identified 1,244 products across 773 districts, providing significant encouragement and support to the artisans involved,” Singh concluded.
Among those present at the event were Acharya Devvrat, the Chancellor of GV and Governor of Gujarat, and Harshad Patel, the Vice Chancellor of GV.
