Anantapur: A quiet but powerful revolution is under way in the heart of Anantapur in the state. It’s neither driven by neither politicians nor corporations, but by a determined individual, AG Anil Kumar of Discover Anantapur
Anil’s mission is to rid the town of single-use plastic, which has grown into a transformative movement for sustainability, dignity and women’s empowerment. The concept is being spread across the state by involving thousands of SHG women, who would earn a daily income from stitching cloth bags out of old and discarded saris. In the past one year, over 1,10,000 cloth bags have been distributed — free of cost — to citizens across Anantapur city.
Anil Kumar has been active over the last four years and has become a symbol of environmental resilience and community-driven innovation. What started as a one-man crusade against plastic has now blossomed into a grassroots campaign touching the lives of thousands.
At its core lies an initiative both simple and profound: “Sari to Shopping Bag.” Old saris, once destined to join the scrap heap, are being collected and stitched into strong, reusable bags. These bags do more than carry groceries — they carry a message of hope.
With help from Anantapur municipal corporation commissioner Bala Swamy and deputy commissioner Pavani, Anil Kumar has mobilized 130 women for this self-driven endeavour. They now earn a steady income by turning fabric waste into environmentally sustainable cloth bags.
Each of these women earns at least Rs 500 a day, gaining not just financial freedom but also a renewed sense of self-worth and confidence.
“This is more than a project. It carries with it a social and environmental cause. These women don’t stitch bags .They are stitching a future without plastic for Anantapur and the state,” he noted.
Each bag is a step closer to a cleaner town and a more sustainable future. But beyond statistics lies a deeper impact: the creation of a culture where environmental awareness meets one’s endeavours for livelihood.
The momentum reached a peak at the recent Yogandra event, where Anil Kumar in collaboration with the AMC, distributed 5,000 bags in just 15 minutes. Says a beaming Anil, “When citizens and institutions work together, real change is not just possible — it’s inevitable.”
Anil Kumar is now setting his sights on a historic milestone. In association with AMC, he is gearing up to produce and distribute 10,001 sari-made bags in just 7 hours— a potential world record that goes far beyond numbers.
This ambitious feat, planned for the coming fortnight, is expected to galvanize more public participation in Anil’s endeavour, draw national attention and inspire its replication in towns across India.
The vision is not just about reducing plastic and restoring pride, but also about empowering women and reviving community consciousness. In converting discarded saris into instruments of environmental change and economic empowerment, he has woven together multiple threads of transformation.
The MEPMA director of Vijayawada was impressed over the concept and planned to introduce the concept across the state as part of the nation’s drive against plastic.
