Pankaj Tripathi appointed as the brandambassador of Patna’s Khadi Mall

Of the many Gandhian values instilled in Pankaj Tripathi, the idea of self-reliance is paramount. A believer in M K Gandhi’s Khadi Spirit, the actor has pledged his support to Khadi Mall in Patna, Bihar (that was inaugurated in November 2019) after being appointed as the Brand Ambassador of the mall a few days back.

Pankaj Tripathi told us, “Khadi is not a cloth but a thought that leads to improvement of the rural economy. I was approached by the Ministry of Industries Bihar, whose officials know me since my theatre days. Shyam Rajak was keen that I associate myself with the Khadi Mall to help promote the use of the fabric amongst the youth of the country. I personally believe Khadi doesn’t need a brand ambassador but I believe in the spirit that khadi entails. Before becoming a mall, it was Khadi Bhandar. I remember going there in my younger days to buy dhoti and kurta for my father. I have an emotional connection with the initiative. As an artist, I believe we need to promote khadi because it has far-reaching benefits for the rural economy. As evident from the humanitarian crisis created by the pandemic, we need to strengthen rural India. People from villages wouldn’t be allured to work in big cities. I will urge my fans to use more khadi products and I want young people to buy more locally made khadi goods for their wardrobe. Personally, I will wear a lot more khadi than I already do. I want people to see the beauty of the fabric and start buying it more. Greater consumption willl ead to greater production which in turn will help local craftsmen attached to grass-root level textile industries. Rural economy will in turn help strengthen the nation.”

For Tripathi, who is aligned with the ideology that Khadi represents, this is not a commercial collaboration but israther his way of vouching for his support for the larger cause of rural development.