How PM Modi's iconic 'gamchha' face masks boosted employment in a UP town

Amid growing demand, e-commerce companies in Kanpur have been acquiring these gamchhas to sell them online

Inspired by the captivating red and white 'gamcha' that Prime Minister Narendra Modi used as a face mask during his address to the nation while announcing lockdown 2.0, handloom weavers in Uttar Pradesh's Baranbaki have got themselves busy. The demand for this traditional piece of clothing has zoomed.

Ubaid Ansari of Shahabpur, who started the production in the district, says that made with viscose cloth, the gamcha has been addressing the scarcity of masks in the district as well as opening the doors to employment of locals.

"Ever since the Prime Minister wore this gamchha on television we started the