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Heritage Meets Humanity: Ismail Khatri And The USHA Silai School Connection
Team NDTV | Updated: January 30, 2025 13:30 IST
In the heart of Gujarat, where the winds carry tales of tradition and the earth paints a canvas of vibrant hues, resides a man who is not just a weaver, but a guardian of heritage. Ismail Khatri, a renowned Ajrakh artisan, has dedicated his life to preserving and promoting this ancient art form. His family-run business has been supplying high-quality, hand-printed fabrics to both domestic and international markets.
Ismail Khatri said,
"This work is very old for us. Our ancestors came from Sindh, and Rao Barmal Ji II brought this craft here. He was fond of the craft. Our ancestors chose the village of Dhamadka because there was a river where the clothes could be washed. We are the 9th generation here in Kutch."
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Ismail Khatri has transformed his home into a vibrant hub of traditional craftsmanship. His workshop buzzes with activity as artisans meticulously prepare Ajrakh products. From dyeing fabrics to creating intricate patterns, every step of the process is carried out with precision and passion.
Ismail Khatri said,
"The concept of Ajrakh is Sufi-ism. It doesn't have flowers, birds, or idols. It's more geometrical. When this work of Ajrakh started, many artisans got work, and it became a kind of market."
But it's not just Ismail Khatri's commitment to this art; his contribution extends to empowering communities beyond his craft. He has generously donated over 4,500 meters of cloth to USHA Silai Schools across India, directly impacting the lives of numerous women. Women have used this fabric during teaching and also to make salwar kurtas, bags, nighties, and other products for selling.
Ismail Khatri further added,
“I watched a show by NDTV about USHA then I contacted a nearby organization. They mentioned having some fabric that would be suitable for women learning cutting, so the fabric was given to USHA women for practice.”
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USHA's training cum production centers often require raw material like fabric to teach new batches of women. The fabric contributed by Ismail Khatri was distributed to several training cum production centers as per their requirement.
Coming from a family with a nine-generation-long legacy in this art form, Ismail Khatri has dedicated his life to preserving and promoting this ancient craft. He has earned many accolades, including the UNESCO Award Seal of Excellence for handicrafts. A recognition of his wider contribution to the field of crafts is his Honorary Doctorate from De Montfort University in Leicester, in 2003.
As the sun sets over Kutch, the legacy of Mr. Ismail Khatri and the countless others who support the USHA Silai School program continues to shine bright. It's a testament to the power of human kindness and the enduring spirit of giving.
Published: January 29, 2025 13:49 IST
Team NDTV | Thursday January 30, 2025Ismail Khatri, a celebrated Ajrakh artisan from Gujarat, preserves ancient craft and empowers women by providing fabric to USHA Silai Schools, fostering skill development and sustainable livelihoods
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Do you want to be a part of the huge change that Usha Silai School is bringing about in the lives of millions of rural women? With just a simple click of a button, you can now contribute towards the opening of an Usha Silai School or support various other aspects of the school.
Kushalta Ke Kadam, an initiative by USHA Silai School and NDTV has entered its eighth season. The aim is to empower more women across rural India by teaching them sewing skills and helping them open new doors of opportunities for themselves. The initiative encourages rural women to become financially independent and entrepreneurs by taking up sewing and training others in their respective communities.
Since 2011, the USHA Silai School initiative has trained more than 12 lakh rural women through over 33,000 Silai schools, spanning over 20,751 villages across India.
The women earn Rs. 4,000 – 5,000 per month on an average, with the highest recorded monthly earning being Rs. 84,000 in a month. This earning works as a catalyst towards building their self-confidence, reducing gender inequities, and raising their stature within their families and in society at large.
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Rebari girls grow up learning traditional embroidery, which along with their new found sewing skills developed at Usha Silai Schools, is helping them earn a living.
Usha Silai School has empowered many rural women to support their family and send their children to school.
The Usha Silai School, established in a small nondescript village that goes by the name of Kottai, is helping empower people from varied communities.
The all-inclusive Usha Silai School Programme covers the entire nation from hamlets tucked between hills to villages cast by the sea.
Vegetables farmers from the Mizoram hills earn very little given the topography of the area. Usha Silai Schools have played an important part in this region by skilling women to financially contribute towards their households.
Usha Silai School learner Lucy has trained seven other women in her community, helping them to become financially independent.
Women like Kaviben from the nomadic Rebari community are finally laying down their roots as they begin to gain financial independence and thereby stability through Usha Silai School.
Usha Silai School, located in the Gujarat's Bhuj village, is enabling rural women to earn as much as Rs. 2,500-4,000 each month.
Usha Silai School, in association with a Gujarat based NGO called Kala Raksha, is trying to bring about a Silai revolution in Bhuj.
Besides training other women from their community, many Usha Silai School learners have become entrepreneurs in their own right.
With sewing becoming easily accessible and lucrative, the silai schools are also helping revive traditional motifs and designs.