The multi-faceted Haresh Shah tells Ornella D'Souza why he wants to put a spotlight on khadi
It is said that fifteen metres of the hand-spun and hand-woven khadi can slip through a finger ring in one go. This heathered fabric with a Gandhian past is eco-friendly as it does not emit carbon. It adapts to climatic whims in keeping the wearer warm in the cold and cool in the heat. Born from the constant spinning of the charkha, khadi, like its creation process, has survived due to a non-stop cycle of efforts by government entities like the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to eco- and brand India-conscious designers like Sabyasachi, Ritu Kumar and Wendell Rodricks, who have entire collections on khadi. Despite the fabric's low pricing, sales of khadi goods keep teeteering.
That's when people like Haresh Shah, an ex-member of KVIC, step in to assist the government's Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to ironing out the creases in the production, designing and marketing of khadi.
The 61-year-old is a recipient of the "Knight of the Order of Merit" from the French Republic for his efforts in Development and owns and designs the mens clothing label H Couture. He wisely uses the combined resources towards sustaining khadi. He is also trustee to many NGOs, like Vaikunthbhai Mehta Research Centre for Decentralised Industries (VMRCDI) and Yusuf Meherally Centre (YMC) Mumbai Khadi & Village Industries (MKVI), which runs 18 khadi outlets across Mumbai; Shah manages its most iconic khadi outlet – DN Road Khadi Bhavan.
"Khadi is a symbol of self-reliance, a way of life. But today, 60 per cent of the youth think it's fuddy-duddy. We hope to change that by gauging the paradigm shift in design and buying patterns of the society," says Shah, the main proponent behind Khadi Utsav 2015, a three-month festival that started on October 2. On day one, there was a 97 per cent jump in sales amounting to Rs 25 lakh in revenue. The increased footfalls are partly due to the prime minister's appeal for everyone to own a khadi item. And partly because of modern blends such as denim khadi and hemp collections by designers, NIFT students and local producers.
Shah is also partnering with 15 Mumbai colleges to create designs in khadi that will appeal to the youth. He has written to 400 khadi institutions across India to get data about the size of their loom, number of skilled/unskilled labourers, etc."Problems in khadi-making persist because there isn't data on the producing units. The data can helps vendors choose the producer most suitable to execute his order." And with YMC, a rural empowerment organisation, he has the go-ahead to use its nine warehouses to store khadi goods across India.
He also has plans for the Khadi Bhavan at Fort – renting out its 9000sq ft basement for pop-up sattvik restaurants to have LCD TVs screen the various elements to khadi.
"All these strategies need immense funding. It is difficult to convince corporates to include khadi in their CSR activities. If nothing works, I will start a Paisa Fund reminiscent of the one Gandhiji began. Even a single rupee can go a long way in keeping khadi alive," he says.
KS Rao, the deputy CEO of KVIC, adds that while efforts to revive khadi are many, "Shah's involvement since last year with Khadi Bhavan has seen many projects take off".
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