For SC Supakar, winner of the national award for textile designing, an ideal state is one where people don’t have to migrate to other states for a livelihood. He believes that Uttar Pradesh has the potential to become an ideal state.
“There is no dearth of funds or employment opportunities in the state,” said Supakar. Supakar took voluntary retirement from UP Handloom to fulfill his passion for textile designing. He was given the national award in 1996 for conceptualising ‘awadhi jamdani’, a traditional Bengali art form which Supakar designed in awadhi style.
In 2011, a weaver trained by Supakar was nominated for the same award. Supakar’s father, Jadunath Supakar was awarded the Padma Shree in 1985 for his contribution to the handloom industry.
“I want all my weavers to win an award for ‘awadhi jamdani’,” added Supakar. Uttar Pradesh is an agrarian state with 50% of its population dependent on agriculture. “The state is also very rich in traditional art forms. The creative brass and copper castings of Moradabad, wood work of Saharanpur and Banarsi sarees are famous all over the world.
Be it the ‘chikankari’ in Lucknow or the bangles in Ferozabad, each city has its own speciality. With adequate financial support from the government these art forms can help in making the state self-sufficient, said Supakar. Supakar believes that it is the government’s responsibility to provide smooth roads, adequate power supply and education to every citizen of the state. Only then will the state of his dreams come alive.
{{/usCountry}}Be it the ‘chikankari’ in Lucknow or the bangles in Ferozabad, each city has its own speciality. With adequate financial support from the government these art forms can help in making the state self-sufficient, said Supakar. Supakar believes that it is the government’s responsibility to provide smooth roads, adequate power supply and education to every citizen of the state. Only then will the state of his dreams come alive.
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