PHILIP KOTLER 2011-2013

Khadi dhoti at Armani prices

North coastal Andhra Pradesh : Pondur

Khadi is certainly not a poor man's fabric . Pondur, a village in Andhra Pradesh, will bring about a sea change in the perception of people who think so.A single khadi dhoti ranges somewhere between Rs. 4000 to Rs. 5000. There are also special designer dhoti's which are priced at Rs. 80,000.For a politician in Andhra Pradesh, Pondur khadi is similar to Armani.It serves as a status symbol for them.
The khadi is made up of special cotton available only in Eastern Ghats . The hill cotton makes you feel warm in winters and cool in summers.The process of separating cotton is not at all mechanized.The workers use fish bone to separate impurities from cotton.
It makes an annual turnover of Rs. 3 crore and provides livelihood for 1600 people in 25 villages.The bitter aspect of the story is that the hill cotton is scarce and on the verge of extinction.But the khadi sangham in Pondur has taken up this challenge.
Now, Pondur khadi is becoming more contemporary to suit the taste and fashion of present generation.
It continues to be a status symbol for Andhra political class.