Kosala, the social enterprise of Hindalco Industries Limited, has inaugurated its first flagship retail store at Greater Kailash (N Block), New Delhi. The launch marks a significant step in expanding its Kosa silk value-chain initiative rooted in Chhattisgarh.
Launched in 2021, Kosala was established to revive and scale the indigenous Kosa silk craft practiced by the Dewangan community. The new boutique was inaugurated by Rajashree Birla, Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development, in the presence of Satish Pai, Managing Director of Hindalco Industries Limited, Saurabh Khedekar, CEO – Alumina Business, Hindalco Industries Limited and Director, Kosala Foundation, along with actor Yami Gautam Dhar.
Speaking at the launch, Mrs Birla said the initiative reflects the Group’s philosophy of trusteeship by nurturing artisan communities while preserving India’s textile heritage. She noted that the store connects rural craftsmanship with wider national and global audiences, creating sustainable livelihood opportunities, especially for women artisans.
Kosala’s grassroots impact has delivered measurable outcomes. In FY25, 31 weaver families secured full-time engagement, while 130 artisans were employed across pre-loom and post-loom processes. Assured year-round work has led to a 63% rise in income for full-time weavers. During the year, 379 artisans were engaged, including 100 newly skilled individuals. Since inception, over 700 artisans have benefited from the initiative, strengthening economic stability within the Dewangan community.
Saurabh Khedekar stated that Kosala is anchored in reviving Kosa silk’s legacy while restoring economic dignity to its original custodians. He added that the store represents a long-term commitment to building a resilient artisan ecosystem through skill development, insurance coverage, and thoughtfully designed contemporary collections rooted in traditional techniques.
Capacity-building efforts include training 25 rural youth in natural dyeing, equipping 100 women with sewing and embroidery skills in partnership with the International Labour Organization and Foundation for MSME Clusters, certifying 50 Dewangan women in Kosa reeling, and providing advanced weaving training through the Weavers’ Service Centre, Raigarh. In 2024, Kosala introduced the Kosala Artisan Shilp Unnati Yojana to recognise and incentivise master weavers annually.
Instituted under Hindalco’s sustainable development initiatives in Chhattisgarh, Kosala integrates market access, skill enhancement, and infrastructure support to position heritage textiles within a sustainable luxury framework while delivering tangible socio-economic progress. Kosala is a social enterprise initiative of Hindalco Industries Limited, created to revive and strengthen the traditional Kosa silk craft of the Dewangan community in Chhattisgarh. Developed in collaboration with Xynteo Vikaasa, Kosala combines heritage craftsmanship with contemporary design to sustain a 5,000-year-old textile tradition while improving economic resilience within artisan communities.
The initiative supports artisans engaged in weaving, reeling, and dyeing, with a strong emphasis on sustainable livelihoods, women’s empowerment, advanced skill development, and market access beyond regional boundaries. Since its inception, Kosala has supported more than 700 artisans across Chhattisgarh, enabling steady income opportunities while preserving the legacy of Kosa silk craftsmanship.
Hindalco Industries Limited is the metals flagship of the Aditya Birla Group and a $28 billion global metals enterprise. The company ranks as the world’s largest aluminium producer by revenue and the second-largest manufacturer of copper rods outside China.
Hindalco has a fully integrated presence across the metals value chain, spanning bauxite mining, alumina refining, coal mining, captive power generation, aluminium smelting, and downstream operations such as rolling, extrusions, and foils. Through its subsidiary Novelis Inc., Hindalco is the global leader in flat-rolled aluminium products and the world’s largest recycler of aluminium.
In India, Hindalco is the leading copper producer, catering to more than half of the nation’s copper demand. Its Gujarat facility houses a state-of-the-art copper smelter and refinery complex, supported by downstream manufacturing units and a captive jetty.
The company operates 48 manufacturing facilities across 10 countries, serving diverse industries worldwide. Hindalco has been recognised as the world’s most sustainable aluminium company in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for six consecutive years from 2020 to 2025, reflecting its strong environmental, social, and governance performance.
