With the objective of encouraging the creativity, hard work, and entrepreneurial skills of women entrepreneurs and providing a dedicated marketplace for local products, the two-day ‘Kokan Kharedi Mahotsav 2026’, organized by Kokan Kala Va Shikshan Vikas Sanstha (Kokan NGO India), concluded successfully with great enthusiasm. The festival was held on 31 October and 1 November 2026 at R.P.D. College, Sawantwadi, and received an overwhelming response, with thousands of citizens attending.
A total of 25 stalls were set up at the festival, showcasing a wide variety of products, including clothing, attractive handmade bamboo products, handcrafted jewellery, bags, homemade food items, traditional snacks, processed fruit products from Konkan, cosmetics, coir-based products, and bakery products made without refined flour (maida) and sugar. The wide range of local products added colour to the festival. Visitors enjoyed a unique shopping experience with different products available under one roof. The participating stall owners also got an opportunity to showcase their products, interact directly with customers, and make sales.
The festival was graced by the presence of Dipali Bhalekar, Chairperson of the Women and Child Welfare Committee and Councillor of Sawantwadi Municipal Council; Councillor Adv. Siddharth Bhambure; Jyoti Dudhawadkar; social workers Seema Mathkar and Sakshi Vanjari; entrepreneur Shruti Redkar; Meghana Dubale, Secretary, and Meghana Salgaonkar, Treasurer of ‘Ghe Bharari’; actress Prof. Pratibha Chavan; Satish Bagwe, President of Samajik Bandhilki; C. L. Naik, office-bearer of Sawantwadi Shikshan Prasarak Mandal; Rupa Mudrale, social worker associated with Samajik Bandhilki; Nitisha Padave, President of Sindhuratna Krushi Sanstha; reel star Namita Sawant; Vaishnavi Bandekar, Sharada Gurav, Meghana Raut, Seema Reddy, Samiksha Aroskar, Malvan-based social worker Shilpa Khot, Prof. Rupesh Patil, Sushil Chougule, along with local journalists from Sawantwadi. The dignitaries interacted with the stall owners, learned about their products, and appreciated the initiative.
Under the guidance of Mr. Dayanand Kubal, President of Kokan NGO India, the festival was planned and implemented successfully. The main objective was to provide local women entrepreneurs, self-help groups and small-scale entrepreneurs with an effective platform to display and sell their products, connect directly with customers and explore new opportunities for business growth.
Organized under the theme ‘By the Locals, For the Locals!’, the festival received an enthusiastic response from citizens. The initiative proved to be an important platform for promoting local products and boosting the confidence of women entrepreneurs. The participating women entrepreneurs expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Dayanand Kubal, President of Kokan Kala Va Shikshan Vikas Sanstha, and the entire team for organizing the festival.
The event was made successful through the dedicated efforts of the organization’s team members Suraj Kadam, Prathamesh Sawant, Amit Patil, Gauri Adelkar, Sameer Shirke, Vaishnavi Mhadgut, Rucha Pednekar, Amol Guram, Swati Manjrekar, Sanika Gawade, and Kamakshi Mahalakar. Volunteers Sanket Palav, Rohan Parab, Atharva Raul, and Manav Malekar also extended valuable support.
