New Delhi: Delhi’s Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Sunday urged citizens to celebrate a “Swadeshi wali Diwali,” calling Khadi the “soul of our nation” and a symbol of both employment and environmental sustainability. He was speaking at Khadi Utsav 2025 (Vastrakatha 2.0), organised by the Delhi Khadi and Village Industries Board at INA Dilli Haat.
“Khadi is not just fabric, it represents dignity of labour and the heartbeat of rural India,” Sirsa said. “Every meter of Khadi we wear strengthens the hands of our artisans and supports the environment. The global fashion industry is one of the most polluting sectors, Khadi, on the other hand, is sustainable and planet-friendly.”
The event featured a Khadi fashion show by students of Miranda House, Hindu College, Khalsa College and the Apparel Training
and Design Centre (ATDC), who presented themed sequences such as “Dharohar – The Heritage Weave,” “Khadi Beyond Boundaries,” and “Fabric of India.”
Highlighting the government’s revival of Delhi’s Khadi movement, the minister remarked, “The Khadi Board had once reached a standstill, it wasn’t even executing work worth one lakh rupees. For the first time in over four decades, Khadi promotion is at the heart of our industrial policy under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s leadership. We are creating new opportunities for artisans, skill development, and Centres of Excellence.”
Adding a personal touch, Sirsa purchased handwoven shawls and handmade diyas at the event, making payments digitally via UPI to promote transparent trade. “When we buy from our artisans, we celebrate the true spirit of the festival, light spreading from one Indian home to another. Swadeshi is not nostalgia; it’s a modern statement of national pride,” he said.
Khadi Utsav 2025 will continue until October 15, offering more than 100 stalls of handmade garments, crafts, jewellery, and home decor.