Nation’s only flag manufacturing centre in Bengeri faces steep sales drop

Bengeri’s Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Sangha, the nation’s only authorized flag maker, faces a sharp sales decline after polyester flags were permitted, threatening livelihoods of thousands of artisans and the unit’s heritage.

Hubballi: The Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha (KKGSS) in Bengeri the nation’s only authorized manufacturer and supplier of the Indian tricolour is facing a steep drop in flag sales, with turnover this year plummeting to just ₹49 lakh. The unit, which has supplied flags to the Red Fort and Indian embassies abroad, now finds itself in a financial crunch following amendments to the Flag Code of India.

Founded on November 7, 1957, by Gandhian leaders including Venkatesh Magadi and Shriranga Kamat, KKGSS united 58 khadi and village industry institutions across Karnataka. Spread over 17 acres, the facility houses sewing units, production facilities, and a textile training college. Each flag is handmade on 60 sewing machines and tested 18 times to meet strict BIS standards.

The decline began after the 2022 “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign during the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, when the central government amended the Flag Code to permit polyester tricolours alongside traditional khadi, silk, and wool versions. The cheaper, machine-made polyester flags rapidly dominated the market. Speaking to Telangana Today on Tuesday KKGSS secretary Shivanand Mathapati told that sales have fallen to just 25% of last year’s figures, with orders from major states like Jammu & Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh drying up.

In 2022–23, sales had touched ₹4.28 crore ,last year, they dropped to ₹1.80 crore. Now, they have shrunk to a fraction, causing wage delays for the 2,000 women workers employed in spinning, weaving, and stitching including 80 dedicated to flag-making. “Without sales, we cannot pay salaries or buy raw materials. The government must roll back the amendment and mandate khadi flags again,” Mathapati urged.

Workers share similar concerns. Annapurna Doddamani, a flag-maker, says unsold stock from the past two years is piling up. “We used to work extra hours in June to August making nine different flag sizes. Now the demand is gone, and so is our income,” she said. Many have shifted to making khadi bags for lower pay.

Khadi flag prices range from ₹250 to ₹30,150, with large 21×14-foot flags adorning landmarks like Naragund Hill and JSW Cement plants. The most popular size is 3×2 feet.

Unless the government restores the khadi-only mandate, say artisans, the Bengeri unit a national symbol of handmade heritage risks fading into history along with its tricolours.

– BY INDU SHEKAR