Sales of khadi and village industry products crossed ₹28 crore in a single day on Gandhi Jayanti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in the 139th episode of his radio programme Mann Ki Baat on October 25. He urged people to give preference to products made by local artisans during the festive season, according to a release from the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
The episode marked 12 years of Mann Ki Baat, which began in October 2014.
Twelve years of khadi appeals
Khadi has been a recurring theme of the programme. According to the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), each appeal has been followed by a jump in sales:
- October 2014: after the first episode asked listeners to buy at least one khadi product, KVIC's flagship outlet recorded record sales the next day.
- October 2, 2022: Khadi Bhawan at Connaught Place in Delhi sold ₹1.34 crore of goods in a day.
- October 2, 2023: sales at the same outlet crossed ₹1.52 crore.
- September 2025: in the 126th episode, Modi again asked people to buy at least one khadi product on October 2.
- October 2026: the latest episode reported single-day sales of more than ₹28 crore on Gandhi Jayanti. The release does not say whether this covers all outlets across the country or a particular set of stores.
How big the sector is
KVIC chairman Manoj Goel said the turnover of the khadi and village industries sector crossed ₹1.87 lakh crore in 2025-26, while employing more than 2.04 crore people. He said the sector would soon reach its turnover target of ₹2.51 lakh crore. These are KVIC's own figures.
Goel thanked the Prime Minister on behalf of khadi artisans and said the mention had boosted the morale of millions of them, especially women. He said KVIC would focus on quality, innovation and drawing in younger buyers.
Why it matters
The festive season is the biggest selling period for khadi and handmade goods. The Prime Minister's appeal, made just ahead of the main festivals, is aimed at steering some of that spending towards rural artisans and weavers.