Pali, May 6 -- The bangle industry in Rajasthan's Pali district, which traces its roots back nearly a century, has evolved into a large-scale manufacturing and livelihood ecosystem, empowering thousands of women and supplying products across India and abroad.

After the textile sector, the bangle industry in Pali is now considered the second-largest in its category in India.

What began as a small-scale craft nearly 100 years ago has expanded into a structured industry, with plastic bangles from Pali reaching markets in countries including Afghanistan and Pakistan, alongside widespread domestic demand.

The trade was initiated around 1938 by Babu Bhai (Khan). In its early years, bangles were made using ivory and coconut shells before tran...