Anil Kumar’s Saree Bag Movement turns a home idea into a civic revolution — 51,000 saree bags distributed in 180 days and 1.6 lakh eco-bags over two years
Ananthapuramu, Andhra Pradesh – November 2025
What started with one old saree and ten hand-stitched bags inside a modest Ananthapuramu home has now grown into one of India’s most inspiring grassroots environmental movements. The Saree Bag Movement, founded by social activist Ananthapuram Anil Kumar, has transformed thousands of lives, empowered women, and replaced tonnes of single-use plastic with dignity, fabric, and hope.
A Saree That Started a Revolution
It all began when Anil’s wife, Madhurima, transformed a single discarded saree into ten reusable bags. That moment of quiet creativity became the seed of a movement — a reminder that sustainable change can start right at home.
From that one saree, an idea took root: reuse what we already have to save what we are losing — our planet. Soon, the hum of sewing machines spread across Ananthapuramu’s lanes as more women joined in, turning old sarees into colorful carriers of change.
150 Women, 180 Days — 10,148 Bags in 6 Hours and 51,000 Distributed
Over the past 180 days, more than 150 women tailors across Ananthapuramu — many from economically modest backgrounds — have stitched an extraordinary 51,000 saree bags, each one replacing a plastic bag and spreading awareness across markets and homes.
Earlier this year, the team etched its name into history by setting a world record, creating 10,148 saree bags in just six hours and distributing them freely to the public.
Each bag became a conversation — about recycling, women’s work, and community pride. Ananthapuramu, once like any other small town battling plastic waste, now stands as a model of collective environmental action.
“We are not stitching bags,” Anil says with quiet conviction. “We are stitching a cleaner future.”
1.6 Lakh Eco-Bags in Two Years
The Saree Bag initiative is only one part of a much larger movement. In the last 24 months, Anil Kumar and his Green Army volunteers have already distributed over 1,60,000 eco-friendly cotton and canvas-cotton bags — all produced locally and given away free of cost to replace plastic carry bags in daily use.
These cotton and canvas bags laid the foundation for the saree-bag mission, proving that sustainable materials can power both livelihood and lifestyle change. Together, they form one of India’s largest civic-driven anti-plastic campaigns from a Tier-2 town.
AMC’s Pillars of Support
The success of this movement owes much to the unwavering support of the Ananthapuramu Municipal Corporation (AMC). Commissioner Balaswamy and Deputy Commissioner Dr Pavani have stood as pillars of encouragement, helping translate a people’s dream into a city-scale reality.
From providing civic coordination to ensuring permissions, logistics, and volunteer mobilization, the AMC has treated the initiative not as an external campaign but as a shared civic mission.
“Commissioner Balaswamy and Dr Pavani didn’t just support us — they believed in us,” said Anil. “They made sure our town’s women felt ownership of the mission.”
Overcoming Skepticism
Not everyone believed this was possible. MEPMA MD Tej Bharath, at the project’s inception, dismissed it, calling it “your passion, not our passion” and predicting its failure. But Anil Kumar’s resolve proved otherwise.
He continued with his organization Discover Ananthapuram, training tailors, gathering saree donations, and building citizen awareness. What was once dismissed as a passing enthusiasm is now a civic movement recognized for its discipline, inclusivity, and results.
The Next Milestone — 11,111 Saree Bags on November 14
Fresh from its record-breaking feat, Ananthapuramu now gears up for another world record. On November 14, coinciding with Children’s Day, the town will attempt to stitch and distribute 11,111 saree bags in one day.
Joining hands this time are:
Students of Aryan School, carrying the torch of youth and sustainability,
Ex-Army officials, symbolizing the nation’s discipline and service, and
The people of Ananthapuramu, uniting through Discover Ananthapuram to build a bridge between the past, the present, and the future.
A Stitch Toward a Sustainable Future
For Anil Kumar, this is not just about bags — it’s about belief. Each saree bag tells the story of a woman finding her strength, a citizen rediscovering responsibility, and a town reclaiming its conscience.
“We didn’t just replace plastic,” Anil says. “We replaced despair with dignity.”
From one saree in a modest home to 1.6 lakh eco-bags across Andhra Pradesh, the Saree Bag Movement stands today as living proof that when vision meets willpower, even a thread can sew the fabric of change.
