Four Kerala women weavers to wear khadi outfit, carry tricolour saree for Republic Day event in Delhi

For years, they have been weaving khadi clothes. So when they got special invites to fly to the capital to witness the Republic Day parade, there was no room for debate on what to wear.

"We were invited to the event because of this fabric we make, so the right thing is to wear the same," said Kamala Shinjith, one of the four weavers from Kerala invited by the Khadi Commission to attend the prestigious Republic Day event. Kamala and Shyamala Balakrishnan of the Kozhikode Sarvodaya Sangham and Bindu K V and Elizabeth George of Firka Gramodaya Khadi Sangham in Payyanur are the special invitees.

Kamala and a co-worker made the sarees that she and Shyamala would wear at the event, while Elizabeth and Bindu have opted for churidars instead because their unit makes those, not sarees.

Kamala would also pack a tricolour saree to honour the nation on the 77th Republic Day, hoping more people would appreciate the work that went into its making.

In December 2025, when their supervisor informed them of the invitation to New Delhi, it seemed like a meeting. But in the following weeks, police officers visited them as part of verification processes, which seemed unusual.

"At first I was frightened when the police visited, then I understood that it was not a regular event that we were attending," said Elizabeth George. After the initial shock wore off, they were gripped by excitement. For Elizabeth and Bindu, a visit to Delhi alone was novel, let alone participating in a prestigious event. "We never dreamed of such things because we knew it was impossible," Elizabeth said.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Thiruvananthapuram, a shirt made of "Manila shirting" cloth caught his attention. Elizabeth thinks the shirt stitched at their unit was probably the reason they were chosen for the event.

Kamala believes her invitation was inspired by the unique weaving style practised at her unit. Kamala's khadi unit in Kozhikode works on Kuppadam weaving, while the Payyanur unit practices the "Adichu Neythu" method. The Kuppadam weaving method requires two people to work for a whole week to produce a single saree, Kamala said, highlighting the intricacy of the work.

The Kuppadam weaving technique had not been practised for about 30 years until Kamala and her co-workers revived it with redesigns. "I believe it was the historical significance of this method that led to our selection," said Kamala.

She has been working in the unit for 36 years, and is elated that her organisation is receiving such recognition. Her mother worked at the same unit; it was the place that raised her. "This work and khadi, that's my whole life," said a joyful Kamala.

The trip is fully paid for, with the flight tickets arranged for January 22. Bindu will be accompanied by her son, while Elizabeth and Kamala will travel with their husbands. In New Delhi, the four women would adorn themselves with the fabrics they made. “We always wear khadi clothes to represent our work, that's the common practice,” said Elizabeth.