When you step into Kosala’s flagship store in New Delhi, you don’t just enter a boutique but also a living tapestry. Softly glowing silk drapes rich in texture and weaving mastery greet visitors, each piece telling the story of a centuries-old craft. Here, heritage meets modernity, and commerce transforms into community empowerment.
Launched in 2021 by Hindalco Industries, the aluminium and copper manufacturing subsidiary of the Aditya Birla Group, Kosala is a social enterprise dedicated to revitalising the indigenous Kosa silk craft of Chhattisgarh. Over the past five years, it has empowered more than 700 artisans, ensuring that traditional weaving is not only preserved but also thrives as a sustainable livelihood.
This week, the social enterprise launched its first flagship store, marking a significant milestone in this journey and offering a permanent home for the handwoven Kosa silk. On offer are sarees ranging from Rs 13,000 to Rs 25,000, jackets for men and women, kurtas, shawls, stoles and accessories that tell a story of Chhattisgarh’s vibrant heritage.
Rajashree Birla, chairperson of the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development, who oversees the group’s social and welfare driven work, says: “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.”
While the group’s vision blends high-growth entrepreneurship with extensive social, environmental, and community-focused initiatives, Birla reminisces how her son, Kumar Mangalam Birla, the chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, along with the family, has over decades-long engagement with social initiatives.
“It is one aspect that goes on and on, and there’s no stopping. We started Aadyam Handwoven in 2020 and now Hindalco’s Kosala, both are committed to artisanal crafts,” says Birla.
Economic Impact
The initiative’s impact is also tangible. Between 2023 and 2025, Kosala directly engaged over 700 artisans, with FY24-25 alone generating Rs 88 lakh in income for participants. Across three fiscal years, the initiative created a cumulative income of Rs 2.1 crore, significantly enriching artisan households and cementing Kosala as a model for sustainable, heritage-led entrepreneurship.
In FY25 alone, 31 weaver families secured full-time engagement, and 130 artisans were employed across pre-loom and post-loom processes. Weavers saw a 63% increase in income, reinforcing household stability and dignity.
Story of Resilience
Meanwhile, the journey of Kosa silk itself is a story of resilience. Once a revered art form, it faced near extinction due to mechanisation, threatening both the craft and artisan livelihoods. Kosala intervened as a not-for-profit social enterprise under Hindalco’s sustainable mining initiatives, building a scalable rural enterprise model.
Amrit Lal, one of the master craftsmen, who has been working with the enterprise for the past five years, says, “Kosala’s influence extends beyond livelihoods. We see this change in improved educational access, solar roof panels installed in villages, healthcare delivery, and empowered women in the villages. In fact, the new generation is now keen to take on the craft to another level. As a result, families have seen their kids return from city jobs to help parents.”
Speaking about the future growth plans, Saurabh Khedekar, CEO of the alumina business at Hindalco Industries and director of Kosala Foundation, shares: “It’s a steady start to the brand with one store launch this year. We shall plan another store launch towards the festive season. This store is not only a retail milestone but also reaffirms our long-term commitment to strengthen the artisan ecosystem,” adds Khedekar.