Kosala, the social enterprise of Hindalco Industries Limited, has opened its flagship retail store in Greater Kailash (N Block), New Delhi, marking a key expansion milestone in its Kosa silk value-chain initiative in Chhattisgarh.
Kosala was launched in 2021 to restore and expand the indigenous Kosa silk craft of the Dewangan community. Today, Kosala reached a key milestone with the launch of its first flagship store. The boutique was inaugurated by Mrs. Rajashree Birla, Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development, in the presence of Mr. Satish Pai, Managing Director of Hindalco Industries Limited, Mr. Saurabh Khedekar, CEO, Alumina Business, Hindalco Industries Limited and Director, Kosala Foundation with actor Ms. Yami Gautam Dhar marking the occasion.
Speaking at the launch, Mrs. Rajashree Birla- Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development said, “Kosala reflects our deep commitment to trusteeship, nurturing communities while preserving India’s rich cultural heritage. By revitalising the art of Kosa silk, we are empowering artisan families, especially women, with sustainable livelihoods and renewed pride in their craft. This store serves as a bridge between rural skill and global appreciation.”
Kosala’s impact at the grassroots level has been measurable and transformative. In FY25, 31 weaver families secured full-time engagement, while 130 artisans were employed across pre-loom and post-loom processes, strengthening integration across the value chain. Full-time weavers now benefit from assured year-round engagement, resulting in a 63% increase in income, significantly enriching their livelihoods. During the year, 379 artisans were engaged and 100 were newly skilled, reinforcing household stability and enabling the Dewangan community to move forward with renewed confidence and dignity. Since its inception, Kosala has empowered over 700 artisans, strengthening sustainable livelihoods while preserving the indigenous craft of Kosa silk.
Mr. Saurabh Khedekar, CEO, Alumina Business, Hindalco Industries Limited and Director, Kosala Foundation, said, “Kosala is anchored in two core beliefs: reviving the indigenous legacy of Kosa silk and restoring economic dignity, recognition, and continuous skill advancement to its original custodians, the Dewangan community. This store is not merely a retail milestone; it reaffirms our long-term commitment to strengthening the artisan ecosystem and enabling weaver families to thrive with pride and purpose.
We continue to prioritise the well-being of artisans and their families by extending individual life insurance coverage, expanding structured training to bring more weavers into the fold, and reimagining Kosa through a thoughtful blend of time-honoured techniques and consciously designed collections for the modern consumer.”
Capacity-building initiatives include training 25 rural youth in professional natural colour dyeing; providing sewing and embroidery skills to 100 women in partnership with the International Labour Organisation and the Foundation for MSME Clusters; certifying 50 Dewangan women in Kosa reeling; and offering advanced weaving training to 25 artisans through the Weavers’ Service Centre, Raigarh. In 2024, Kosala introduced the Kosala Artisan Shilp Unnati Yojana, instituting annual recognition and incentive structures for master weavers.
Kosala was instituted as part of Hindalco’s sustainable mining initiatives in Chhattisgarh. Over the years we have built a scalable rural enterprise model that integrates market access, skill development and infrastructure investment positioning heritage textiles within a sustainable luxury framework while delivering measurable economic outcomes at the grassroots level.
