Shun Chinese lights, go swadeshi this Diwali, MANIT students urge

With the festival of lights just round the corner, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT) students in Bhopal have taken up the cudgels to celebrate a ‘Swadeshi Diwali’ in the city to promote indigenous products against foreign, especially Chinese, decorative products.

Published on: Nov 3, 2015, 17:42:31 IST

Hindustan Times | By Shruti Tomar, Bhopal

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

With the festival of lights just round the corner, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT) students in Bhopal have taken up the cudgels to celebrate a ‘Swadeshi Diwali’ in the city to promote indigenous products against foreign, especially Chinese, decorative products.

MANIT students have launched ‘Swadeshi Diwali’ campaign. (HT file photo)

The campaign launched under ‘Tooryanaad’—a Rajbhasha Karyanvyan Samiti (RKS) of MANIT students — aims to popularise earthen diyas (lamps) and other locally made products with twin motive to promoting Indian artisans and culture.

RKS general secretary Ashutosh Singh Thakur told HT that the campaign was based on a study report released by the ASSOCHAM a year ago, which suggested that 60% of the Diwali market had been captured by Chinese and other foreign products.

“This trend has hit the informal sector of India, especially potters, hard…We have also done our own survey by visiting the houses of potters. During the survey we found that sale of earthen lamps have decreased to 10-15%, which is a matter of concern,” Thakur said.

“Artificial lights and decorative pieces are also hitting the Indian culture and tradition,” the fourth year engineering student said.

Elaborating on the campaign, second year student of MANIT, Akash Jaiswal, said: “We are promoting our campaign in the schools by showing a documentary based on the sufferings of potters. We are also convincing them that instead of giving profits to businessmen of foreign countries, we should improve the financial condition of informal sector of India.”

As of now MANIT students have administered the ‘Swadeshi Diwali’ oath to students of 28 city schools. Now the enthusiasts are planning to take the campaign to the ministers and bureaucrats too.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

Stay informed with the latest updates on Education News also check CBSE Class 10 Result and Find tips to help you succeed in your academic journey and career planning on Hindustan Times.