The French connection that sparked an eco movement in Kutch
Ahmedabad: Their meeting was brief, almost incidental, but it would go on to shape the lives of many women and lend them a new purpose. This encounter took place in 2009 in dry, arid Kutch.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
One of them was Katell Gélébart, a nomadic eco-designer from Brittany, France. The other, Rajiben Vankar, from the nondescript village of Kotai, who was deeply disturbed by the plastic pollution harming her community and its animals.
A brief observation of Katell experimenting with weaving discarded plastic at a workshop at the Khamir artisan centre near Bhuj in 2009 ignited a powerful idea in Rajiben. She nurtured the spark over the years, transforming it into an enterprise that gained national recognition, including appreciation from the President of India and the Janaki Devi Bajaj Award.
She went on to establish her own brand and train around 100 women.
Now, in a full-circle moment planned for July 2025, Katell, whose work first planted the seed, is set to return to Kutch — likely to witness the growth that followed her initial encounter with Rajiben.
Katell's journey toward turning waste into value began early in her life in Brittany. "At age six, I witnessed the devastating Amoco Cadiz, an XXL tanker, oil spill.
It left a sad memory of 'the hand of Man on nature'." This, combined with an inherited "bricolage habit" from her parents — bricolage refers to the practice of creating or solving problems using whatever materials, including waste, are at hand — formed the foundation of her work, she recalls in her book 'The Freedom of Having Nothing, Ecodesigner and Global Nomad'.
This also brought her to India on multiple occasions.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
"I own four boxes filled with my clothes and four bicycles in India — in Delhi, Mumbai, Rajasthan, and Gujarat," she told TOI. In Kutch, she came to Khamir in 2005 and 2009, where she collaborated with artisans.
In Bhuj, she noted how discarded plastic bags and packaging were scattered everywhere, harming animals. This also resonates with Rajiben, who had witnessed the devastating impact of plastic waste — cows eating it, harm to agriculture, and health risks from burning it in stoves.
After the French designer left, leaving behind some woven plastic sheets, the Khamir platform received an order for the material. Rajiben boldly volunteered, saying, "If you want, I can do this work, and I will." Thus began her plastic weaving journey at Khamir, where she continued for approximately three years.
Working with plastic waste involves technical challenges, especially weaving and stitching thin plastic (ideally below 40 microns), with stitches pulling out, material tearing, and needles breaking frequently.
Despite these difficulties, the woven plastic products are notably durable, lasting "six to ten years". "We have made everything from pencil pouches, laptop bags, tote bags, to table mats," says Rajiben.
In 2018, Rajiben had the opportunity to travel to London as part of the Khamir organization. Encouraged by the people she met there, Rajiben struck out on her own in 2019, with no capital, collecting plastic herself and working with three other women - Namaben, Jiviben, and her daughter, Pooja.
During this period, her family relied on her eldest son's modest Rs 6,000 monthly salary. The women initially focused on selling woven fabric, primarily back to Khamir.
Rajiben then partnered with Karigar Clinic from Ahmedabad for marketing and design expertise, in exchange for a share.
"Just then, the Covid-19 pandemic hit," says Rajiben. Rajiben and her small team adapted by weaving with other materials like old clothes and textile waste from their homes.
"We created new products like floor mats and covers for auto-rickshaws, which sold well. The lockdown period was also crucial for us in building our brand 'Rajiben' and documenting the company." Soon, Rajiben moved sales online, creating a special product called the "Local Gift Box," which received many orders and helped generate income during the lockdown.
The brand now involves around 100 women, excluding those in training. "We educate women about the harmful effects of plastic pollution, teaching them about the environmental damage and the danger to bovine animals, and encouraging them to bring us plastic instead of discarding it," says Rajiben.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
Hyderabad IT employees in the dock for fake political donation claims, ETHRWorld
Advt Advt By Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis. Download ETHRWorld App Get Realtime updates Save your favourite articles Scan to download App Hyderabad: The income tax department has uncovered a massive pattern of dubious political donation claims allegedly made by salaried professionals and business owners, primarily from the IT sector, aiming to illegally claim refunds under section 80GGC of the Income Tax 400 tech employees in Hyderabad have now been served notices for allegedly declaring inflated or bogus donations to political parties—some even claiming to have donated sums equal to or exceeding their annual began as isolated cases has now snowballed into one of the largest personal tax deduction scams under the guise of political funding, placing Hyderabad alongside metros like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru in a fast-widening national a single financial year, individuals across India reportedly claimed over ₹10,000 crore as deductions under section 80GGC, which allows tax breaks for donations made to political parties. While the provision is legal and has no upper limit, officials say the absence of safeguards has opened the door to large-scale of the flagged claims, particularly in Hyderabad, were made in the name of registered political parties and registered unrecognised political parties. Upon reconciliation, tax officials found that several individuals had declared donation amounts that were double or more than what the political parties actually received, raising serious questions about the authenticity of the transactions."This is not just tax evasion—it's identity laundering using political donations," said a senior official. "We are not only looking at individuals but also at the network of entities that enabled these fraudulent claims," he in, cash outThe modus operandi appears both simple and deceptive. In numerous cases, individuals reportedly issued cheques to shell entities posing as political parties and later received the money back in cash. These transactions were then falsely reported as political donations in tax returns—entitling the individual to a deduction and, in many cases, a significant tax some instances, software employees were found to have issued cheques to known third party entities and then claimed those as political donations in their IT Hyderabad alone, during a Feb 2025 probe (reported by TOI), the income tax department unearthed a ₹110 crore refund racket involving employees from 36 software companies. Many had claimed inflated political donations and received refunds based on falsified donation patternsAccording to internal data, there has been a 10-fold increase in 80GGC claims between 2016–17 and 2021–22. A growing number of these declarations showed individuals claiming political donations worth 10–100% of their total income—a pattern that the department now flags as a critical risk Telangana and Andhra Pradesh alone, 400 high-risk cases have been identified between FY 2023–24 and 2024–25. Some Hyderabad tech employees received notices after declaring donations exceeding ₹10 lakh. Officials have flagged 30 entities, including shell firms and little-known outfits, for allegedly facilitating these inflated claims.6.5L taxpayers under lensNationwide, 6.5 lakh individuals, mostly salaried professionals and small business owners, are under the scanner for making suspicious claims under Section 80GGC. The top 10%, based on the donation-to-income ratio, have been placed under special audit encourage voluntary compliance, the IT department has extended the returns correction window from two to four years. In Telangana, helpdesks have been set up in tech firms, and outreach programmes have been launched across 100 companies to educate employees about the risks of fake donation claims, including penalties, prosecution, and refund far, 15% of those flagged in earlier phases have updated their returns and corrected their donation claims. Tax officials are now urging others to do the same before enforcement action begins.
Hans India
5 hours ago
- Hans India
Tata-Dassault fuselage deal will boost manufacturing in general
The signing of four Production Transfer Agreements by Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) to manufacture the Rafale fighter fuselage in India is a big fillip to not just defence production in the country but also manufacturing in general. The French plane-maker rightly said that it marks 'a significant step forward in strengthening the country's aerospace manufacturing capabilities and supporting global supply chains.' The fuselage of an aircraft is its central body portion, excluding the engines, tail, and wings. It houses the cockpit, avionics, fuel, and payload—essentially serving as the backbone of the aircraft. In the case of Rafale, a multirole fighter jet renowned for its agility, advanced avionics, and combat effectiveness, manufacturing the fuselage involves high-precision engineering, advanced composites, and tight tolerances. Bringing such a sophisticated process to Indian soil reflects the maturity of the country's aerospace manufacturing environment and the trust global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are increasingly placing in Indian firms. In recent years, numerous Indian companies have emerged as key players in the defence manufacturing sector, contributing to the country's vision of self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat programme. Major public sector undertakings like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited, and Bharat Dynamics Limited have long been at the forefront of producing aircraft, radars, missiles, and other critical defence systems. Alongside them, private sector giants such as TASL, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Mahindra Defence Systems, and Bharat Forge have significantly expanded their footprint in defence production. These companies manufacture a wide range of equipment, including artillery systems, armoured vehicles, UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), and missile components. Their growing capabilities are further boosted by partnerships with global defence firms, enabling technology transfer and joint ventures. This robust participation from both public and private sectors is crucial for reducing import dependence and building a strong, indigenous defence industrial base. The Dassault-TASL partnership is a testament to the vision of the Make in India initiative, which has been pushing for increased localisation in defence procurement. By transferring production capabilities to India, Dassault is enabling Indian companies to climb up the value chain—from low-end assembly to high-end design and production. The collaboration with TASL, a company already experienced in aerospace production, enhances India's ability to build a complex, high-performance defence product and helps cultivate a local ecosystem of skilled workers, advanced suppliers, and engineering talent. Furthermore, this move significantly reduces India's reliance on imports for critical defence hardware, contributing to strategic autonomy. Over the decades, India has been one of the world's largest arms importers. While importing advanced weapon systems has been necessary to meet immediate defence requirements, long-term sustainability lies in indigenisation. The Rafale fuselage manufacturing agreement is, therefore, more than a business deal—it is a step toward building a sustainable and technologically advanced defence industrial base within India. The economic implications of this development are equally profound. High-technology manufacturing generates employment across the value chain—from technicians and engineers to logistics and quality assurance personnel. The joint venture will not only create direct employment but also foster ancillary industries, leading to the development of an aerospace manufacturing cluster with potential spillover benefits to the civilian aviation sector. The infrastructure and capabilities established through this programme can later be leveraged for commercial aerospace production, such as passenger aircraft components, thereby further integrating India into the global aerospace supply chain.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Hyd IT employees in the dock for fake political donation claims
Hyderabad: The income tax department has uncovered a massive pattern of dubious political donation claims allegedly made by salaried professionals and business owners, primarily from the IT sector, aiming to illegally claim refunds under section 80GGC of the Income Tax Act. Over 400 tech employees in Hyderabad have now been served notices for allegedly declaring inflated or bogus donations to political parties—some even claiming to have donated sums equal to or exceeding their annual salaries. What began as isolated cases has now snowballed into one of the largest personal tax deduction scams under the guise of political funding, placing Hyderabad alongside metros like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru in a fast-widening national probe. In a single financial year, individuals across India reportedly claimed over ₹10,000 crore as deductions under section 80GGC, which allows tax breaks for donations made to political parties. While the provision is legal and has no upper limit, officials say the absence of safeguards has opened the door to large-scale misuse. Many of the flagged claims, particularly in Hyderabad, were made in the name of registered political parties and registered unrecognised political parties. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Upon reconciliation, tax officials found that several individuals had declared donation amounts that were double or more than what the political parties actually received, raising serious questions about the authenticity of the transactions. "This is not just tax evasion—it's identity laundering using political donations," said a senior official. "We are not only looking at individuals but also at the network of entities that enabled these fraudulent claims," he said. Cheques in, cash out The modus operandi appears both simple and deceptive. In numerous cases, individuals reportedly issued cheques to shell entities posing as political parties and later received the money back in cash. These transactions were then falsely reported as political donations in tax returns—entitling the individual to a deduction and, in many cases, a significant tax refund. In some instances, software employees were found to have issued cheques to known third party entities and then claimed those as political donations in their IT returns. In Hyderabad alone, during a Feb 2025 probe (reported by TOI), the income tax department unearthed a ₹110 crore refund racket involving employees from 36 software companies. Many had claimed inflated political donations and received refunds based on falsified documentation. Unusual donation patterns According to internal data, there has been a 10-fold increase in 80GGC claims between 2016–17 and 2021–22. A growing number of these declarations showed individuals claiming political donations worth 10–100% of their total income—a pattern that the department now flags as a critical risk indicator. In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh alone, 400 high-risk cases have been identified between FY 2023–24 and 2024–25. Some Hyderabad tech employees received notices after declaring donations exceeding ₹10 lakh. Officials have flagged 30 entities, including shell firms and little-known outfits, for allegedly facilitating these inflated claims. 6.5L taxpayers under lens Nationwide, 6.5 lakh individuals, mostly salaried professionals and small business owners, are under the scanner for making suspicious claims under Section 80GGC. The top 10%, based on the donation-to-income ratio, have been placed under special audit scrutiny. To encourage voluntary compliance, the IT department has extended the returns correction window from two to four years. In Telangana, helpdesks have been set up in tech firms, and outreach programmes have been launched across 100 companies to educate employees about the risks of fake donation claims, including penalties, prosecution, and refund recovery. So far, 15% of those flagged in earlier phases have updated their returns and corrected their donation claims. Tax officials are now urging others to do the same before enforcement action begins. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
