After 37 years in the Indian Army, Major General Ashim Kohli (Retd.) didn’t let his sense of service fade with retirement — instead, he transformed it into a sustainable, dignity-driven social initiative. Recognising that old uniforms carry deep meaning and pose disposal challenges, he founded the Sewaj Neesim Foundation under the tagline “Vardi ka Samman” (“Respect for the Uniform”), aiming to upcycle worn military uniforms into useful school bags for children in need.

The process is respectful and thorough: donated uniforms are washed, de-medalled and de-insigniaed, then cut and hand-stitched into durable school bags. Even fabric too worn for bags is shredded and repurposed into items like masks and diaries, ensuring zero waste.

These upcycled bags are distributed — often through the Army — to children in insurgency-affected and underserved areas, where access to basic educational supplies is limited. To date, over 40,000 uniforms have been recycled, with nearly ten donation drives held annually across India, driven by veteran contributions.

For Major General Kohli, the initiative isn’t about profit but extended service: letting the uniform “serve India till its very last thread” while supporting education, sustainability and dignity.