India's symbol of non-violence to the world

Amid much fervour and gaiety, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), on Wednesday, celebrated the first anniversary of the world's largest wooden charkha by decorating it by flowers, banners and posters. This Charkha, made under the aegis of KVIC, was unveiled by BJP president Amit Shah, in presence of Union Minister of MSME Kalraj Mishra and Ministers of State for MSME Giriraj Singh and KVIC Chairman Vinay K Saxena in a grand function on July 5 last year at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).

The four-tonne charkha is made of high-quality Burma teak wood and is estimated to last for over 50 years. It is 9 feet wide, 17 feet tall and 30 feet long. The order to make the spinning wheel was given to Paryog Samiti, a KVIC unit, near Sabarmati Ashram, where 42 carpenters made it in 55 days.

Enthused by the massive response from the commuters, who overwhelmingly hailed India's quest to foster an egalitarian society as demonstrated by the Father of our Nation Mahatma Gandhi throughout the year, KVIC chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena said, "As per a random survey made by KVIC in initial three months, on average, more than 3,250 visitors, including foreign travellers, had taken 'Selfie with Charkha' per day.

On the basis of this figure, more than 12 lakh commuters took selfies in the last one year. And, since most of them were travelling to different foreign countries, they must have shared their pictures with this symbol of non-violence and signature fabric Khadi across the globe."

Vinai Kumar Saxena to the initiative to install the world's largest charkha at the international airport on the wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to showcase India's symbol of non-violence to the world through the airport where around 2,50,000 people visit every day.

Mr Saxena further said that the idea behind displaying the world's biggest spinning wheel at the country's busiest airport was to promote India's rich cultural heritage through a symbol of Swadeshi, swablamban (self-sufficiency) and sahbhagita (interdependence).

The KVIC staff wholeheartedly took care and maintained the Charkha round the clock. In the words of VK Saxena, "Like the memorial to unknown soldiers is memorial to the unknown rural masses, who heard the call of the father of the nation and took to the demonstrated ways of self-reliance and dignity of labour."