Make in India

Make in India is an initiative of the Government of India to encourage foreign companies to manufacture their goods in India. It could be automobiles, chemicals, electronics, construction equipment, Defence, food products or just about anything. The idea is to increase the economic growth and to generate employment. This initiative was launched in Mumbai.I went for the exhibition and was awestruck. Really huge and rust coloured like all our Rajasthan forts. The high walls, 27 huge halls with all industries representation, clean pavements to walk, lot of plants and dustbins. The staff was efficient from the security guards to the young adults helping you fill the entry forms, to the boys issuing your entry Pass after checking your ID proof to the baggage screening. Every process and interaction with people was flawless and polite. Each one was equipped to guide you and answer all your queries. I did not know that India had the second largest network of roads and highways in the world. Did you know that 21000 trains run in India everyday? We are the second largest manufacturer and exporter of leather goods in the world? We are the most favoured destination to invest after a survey done of 100 countries by some of the top research agencies in the world. There were displays of our great musicians, artists, writers and quite a few names which we have not heard often before. I saw pride in the eyes of the audience or the crowds of Indians visiting. This was not a shopping extravaganza, hence the people who were there were there for a purpose and a commitment. It made me realise that India has so much to offer in terms of technology and skilled labour to the world. The theme of Skill India was Kaushal Bharat, Kushal Bharat. Economic Growth and development is the only way for growth for our country. We can generate employment for our young population. Enough of showcasing ourselves as a poor third world nation. 

Met a fashion designer. I happened to get her contact through my friend's daughter when I was looking at wearing some cotton clothes for a wedding. I did go through the shops having outfits in nets and synthetic fabrics and decided I do not want it to touch my skin. She was God sent. In an old three storied bungalow near the hallowed precincts of Sachin Tendulkar's home, is her store. The bungalow has character and flowering plants despite an unkempt air to it. A rickety elevator with collapsible gate takes you to the second floor store. A loom greets you as soon as you step out of the lift. A few steps down and a well polished wooden door with an earthy mat at the entrance. The door opens by a young lady dressed very homely. The entire area like a huge hall full of clothes on racks. Beautiful simple comfortable sofas welcome us and a high central work table dominates the room. The windows on the west are all open to the greenery and the natural sunlight streaming in. The clothes were bright, loose flowing and fabulous. She works with natural fabrics and weaves of India. Her clothes are designed as different drapes of Sarees and Dhotis. She works with weavers herself. And designs all the clothes herself.  She has her shows in all the big Fashion weeks in India. 

 Gathered a few things from my conversation with her along with my own view points. The Indian designers need to look at India for inspiration. For how long will the keep aping the West? Indian weather and tropical conditions are very different from the Western world or even Japan and China. Here an Indian designer feels very proud when the Western journalist praises for the designer for coming out of the Indian fabrics, prints and colours. The journalist dare not say this to the Japanese designer. If we do not have any pride in our colour palettes and textures, we will be soon loosing our weavers. The West will take away our looms and weavers and sell the same stuff to us at a higher price. We are constantly wanting to be like them without understanding ourselves. India was always a self sustaining economy. There was no wastage even of cow dung and cow urine.. The cotton growing in different parts and silk being used in certain parts of India had a lot to do with the weather. In Rajasthan, women wore Kota  sarees for their breathable light fabric. Every six metres of this fabric which could be draped into various styles, had its use till the end. The Saree was used to make blankets or Gudris. The smaller pieces were used to tie up other clothes in a bundle or as a duster or a kitchen cloth. Some rags were burnt to provide fire in the kitchen along with coal and wood. The West philosophy of use and throw was not there in India. Instead of taking the good from the West, we are taking all the non sustainable practices which harm the environment. The dyes used were natural and were also used for fabric painting. The heavy old zari sarees were given down generations of brides or  made into Lehenga or odhni if they were damaged even a bit. Now the designers are not responsible for the way the fabrics or the waste is created and treated. Some of them for government grants or fund, say they work with weavers in the villages and display a few garments made of natural fabrics. They do not stand for the weavers. It is a joke, when the designers say that they support the livelihood of the weavers. In fact, the weavers show the designers the way and are instrumental in them earning a lot. The Maharashtra farmers are committing suicide and one of the reasons is the cotton. The genetically modified cotton needs lot of foreign fertilizers to grow. The farmer is not able to pay the high cost of the fertilizers. Earlier all farming was done with natural resources using local products. Louis Vuitton is now planning to sell their 8% stake in Fab India, when I thought Fab India was an Indian company. I am someone who always loves the cut and the fit of the t shirts and jeans made abroad. This was all a shocker. A vastly different view than all the glamour I associated with the Fashion industry. 

We need to go back to our roots. Look at our best practices in farming and other areas, which are now lost. We need to realise that we have to be balanced about our environment and growth. Growth has to be from within. Employment has to be generated. A plumber's son/ daughter doesn't want to be a plumber and a Doctor's son/daughter also does not necessarily become a Doctor. We have to work on the skill sets of our youth. A focussed population which considers work as worship. A country where each person is getting their due because of their work.