Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural Industrialization

Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural Industrialization (MGIRI), based in Wardha, Maharashtra, is a national institute under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India. Its vision is to support, upgrade, and accelerate rural industrialization following Gandhi's vision of a sustainable, self-sufficient village economy, while providing scientific and technological inputs to make rural products and services globally competitive. The institute traces its origins to the All India Village Industries Association, started by Mahatma Gandhi in 1934 in Wardha, which later became the Jamanalal Bajaj Central Research Institute (JBCRI) in 1955. JBCRI came under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in 1957. Between 2001 and 2008, MGIRI was developed through collaborative efforts of KVIC and IIT Delhi by revamping JBCRI, and it began functioning autonomously from October 2008 at the historical premises of Maganwadi, Wardha. The institute has six major divisions: Khadi & Textile Industries, Bio-processing and Herbal based Industries, Rural Chemical Industries, Rural Crafts and Engineering, Rural Infrastructure and Energy, and Management and Systems. Its objectives include upgrading rural industrialization, empowering traditional artisans, promoting innovation, and conducting research and development on alternative technologies using local resources for sustainable rural development.