Ranchi, June 18: A police officer, a housewife and a full-time craftsman — they will represent the state in the race for the coveted National Award for Handicraft and Handloom.
Conferred by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, the award ceremony will be held later this year in New Delhi. The President of India is to give away the award. So far, Jharkhand has never won the honour.
An eight-member committee under chairman Dhirendra Kumar, director of handicraft, silk and handloom industry, was formed to select three nominations — Lord Ganesha made of bamboo roots (4ft) designed by Deoghar-based Yogendra Kumar Mishra (59), tribal festivals on ceramic by Hazaribagh-based artisan Sweety S. Sah (33) and a paper-mâché Chhau mask designed by Kanhaiyalal Maharana (68) of Seraikela-Kharsawan.
A centralised committee will choose the winner from a pool of over 80 entries. The award includes a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, copper plaque, an angavastram and a certificate.
All the three nominees are from diverse backgrounds.
Mishra, an assistant sub-inspector of Deoghar police, was surprised by the nomination. “Since childhood, I was interested in art. After returning from work, I used my time to design a variety of handicraft items,” Mishra added. It took him three months to complete his idol, which is made of bamboo roots, collected from nearby forests. Among his other works is a 15ft Ganesh idol (cemented) installed at the Deoghar Stadium.
Sweety S. Sah, another nominee from Hazaribagh, was ecstatic after hearing that her work was nominated. “I am very happy. I have been pursuing art and craft as a hobby for the past 10 years. But this was out of the blue,” she said. With a lot of experience in designing pots, Sah decided to make a ceramic on tribal festivals, which took her three months to complete.
Kanhaiyalal Maharana of Seraikela-Kharsawan, with over 40 years of experience in designing chhau masks, has won accolades from across the country and Denmark too.
While talking to The Telegraph Dhirendra Kumar said that the items designed by the tribal artisans would be sent to the national level selection committee before June 30, the last date for sending nominations. There are plans to start a award in the state.
