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Vastradaanam Abhiyan in full swing: From a simple thought to a growing sewa movement
An idea as simple as collecting gently used traditional Indian clothing and ensuring their reach in India with dignity has now become a more worldwide approach among the South Asian community
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Nitu Singhal - Thu, 23, Jul 2026
- 01:54 EDT
- 23
Volunteers / Courtesy photo
What initiated as a simple thought within the four walls of a house is today gaining popularity worldwide. Two hundred fifty-five suitcases of gently used Indian traditional clothes sent to different parts of India in just 20 months speaks volumes of the dedication, commitment and sincerity behind the mission seekers. And the mission continues.
Originally sprouted in the minds of Dr. Arun Chandrakantan in Dallas, it has today grown into a remarkable sewa movement connecting communities across continents.
An idea as simple as collecting gently used traditional Indian clothing and ensuring their reach in India with dignity has now become a more worldwide approach among the South Asian community. In the early days, Arun Chandrakantan and Sangeetha Chandrakantan personally collected clothes from friends and family. In the process, Chandrakantan, along with the support of their parents and well-wishers, carefully inspected every garment for quality before packing them. Friends traveling to India carried these gently used and donated clothing-filled suitcases, primarily to Chennai, whenever they had extra luggage space.
As things progressed, Arun expressed the desire to expand the efforts to Kolkata. During this journey, he connected with another fellow Sanatani from Dallas, Mahesh Chamaria, who frequently traveled there. While discussing the initiatives, they realized that carrying just four to five suitcases a few times a year would only create limited impact. That conversation sparked a much bigger vision.
Mahesh reached out to his brother, Surendra Chamaria, in India, who connected him with his friend Amit Dabriwal, from the logistics industry. In a generous act of support, Dabriwal offered to transport the suitcases from any city or village in India to their final destination at a very nominal cost, thus becoming a turning point of a small effort into the Vastradaanam Abhiyan.
As the initiative expanded, Ganesh Ramachandran, another logistics partner, joined the mission in an effort to support the cause, thus further strengthening the delivery network and enabling the reach to even more locations across India.
The initiative also received tremendous support from Hari Ramasubbu of KKSF (Kanchi Kamakati Sewa Foundation), who helped provide organizational support from KKSF and played an important role in building and coordinating a dedicated team of volunteers for further strengthening the sewa efforts.
With the constant support of fellow Sanatanis and countless volunteers, the Vastradaanam Abhiyan has now delivered more than 255 suitcases of gently used clothing over a span of 20 months to ashrams, rural communities, tribal regions and organizations serving those in need. The overwhelming response continues to inspire everyone involved.
“The true strength of this initiative lies not just in the number of suitcases delivered but in its commitment to quality, dignity and accountability. Every garment is thoroughly checked before packing, and every suitcase is connected to genuine recipients through a trusted network. This has created a seamless chain of sewa while bringing many new families and volunteers into this punya karya,” said Mr. Mahesh Chamaria.
Today the major target remains to maintain the quality of these items so that people in need can truly benefit from them. To support the cause, you can call Dr. Arun Chandrakantan at 214-952-0928 or Mahesh Chamaria at 309-530-0069.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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