NEW DELHI: Polio-stricken Arumai Kumar (52) from Pondicherry may not be able to walk properly, but he surely can knock people off their feet with his expertise in making gorgeous looking bamboo lamps and scented candles.
Similarly, Asha Kumar from Sultanpuri, also suffering from polio, has not let her problem come in the way of realising her dream to become self-reliant. She makes soft toys that can steal the heart of children at first sight, and Asha is proud that her childhood hobby has become her profession.
They are part of a group of differently abled artisans who have gathered at Delhi’s Kartavya Path from across India to exhibit their crafts at Divya Kala Mela 2022, which started on Friday and will continue till Wednesday. Nearly 100 stalls have been allotted to the divyangjan entrepreneurs and artisans at the fair, which was inaugurated by Union social justice and empowerment Virendra Kumar.
“Such fairs not only boost our confidence but also give us an opportunity to sell our products and make good money,” said Arumai. His friend and supporter, Anil Joseph, told TOI that Arumai had been making these products for several years and these handmade items from natural resources could give a home an ethnic look. “The products need to get a platform for publicity and showcasing them in the national capital is a big opportunity,” he said.
Asha, who has been making soft toys for the past eight years, said such fairs also gave her a chance to get feedback from the visitors. “Instead of depending on others, it’s better to start things on your own and getting such an opportunity is an icing on the cake,” she said.
Union minister Kumar told TOI that the aim of the fair was to provide a platform to disabled artisans to exhibit and sell their products, and also get an opportunity to go “vocal for local”. “We have planned to organise such fairs in different states so that disabled entrepreneurs can showcase their products across the country.” He added that the ministry’s objective was to assist the target groups in various educational, economic and social development, and to rehabilitate them and make them self-reliant.
The products at the fair belong to various categories — home decor and lifestyle, clothing, stationery, and eco-friendly products, packaged food, organic products, toys and gifts, personal accessories like jewellery, clutch bags etc. On the first day itself, the participants, some of whom came from Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, got a good number of visitors.
The secretary of the empowerment for people with disabilities department, Rajesh Agarwal, said the products usually got a good value at such fairs. “While the visitors find items from different states under one roof, artisans and entrepreneurs get great prices for their products, which help in their social and economic upliftment,” he said.
“The six-day fair will stay open from 11am to 8pm. It will host a range of cultural activities, including performances by differently-abled artistes and eminent professionals. Visitors can also relish their favourite food from different regions of the country,” said an official.
Similarly, Asha Kumar from Sultanpuri, also suffering from polio, has not let her problem come in the way of realising her dream to become self-reliant. She makes soft toys that can steal the heart of children at first sight, and Asha is proud that her childhood hobby has become her profession.
They are part of a group of differently abled artisans who have gathered at Delhi’s Kartavya Path from across India to exhibit their crafts at Divya Kala Mela 2022, which started on Friday and will continue till Wednesday. Nearly 100 stalls have been allotted to the divyangjan entrepreneurs and artisans at the fair, which was inaugurated by Union social justice and empowerment Virendra Kumar.
“Such fairs not only boost our confidence but also give us an opportunity to sell our products and make good money,” said Arumai. His friend and supporter, Anil Joseph, told TOI that Arumai had been making these products for several years and these handmade items from natural resources could give a home an ethnic look. “The products need to get a platform for publicity and showcasing them in the national capital is a big opportunity,” he said.
Asha, who has been making soft toys for the past eight years, said such fairs also gave her a chance to get feedback from the visitors. “Instead of depending on others, it’s better to start things on your own and getting such an opportunity is an icing on the cake,” she said.
Union minister Kumar told TOI that the aim of the fair was to provide a platform to disabled artisans to exhibit and sell their products, and also get an opportunity to go “vocal for local”. “We have planned to organise such fairs in different states so that disabled entrepreneurs can showcase their products across the country.” He added that the ministry’s objective was to assist the target groups in various educational, economic and social development, and to rehabilitate them and make them self-reliant.
The products at the fair belong to various categories — home decor and lifestyle, clothing, stationery, and eco-friendly products, packaged food, organic products, toys and gifts, personal accessories like jewellery, clutch bags etc. On the first day itself, the participants, some of whom came from Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, got a good number of visitors.
The secretary of the empowerment for people with disabilities department, Rajesh Agarwal, said the products usually got a good value at such fairs. “While the visitors find items from different states under one roof, artisans and entrepreneurs get great prices for their products, which help in their social and economic upliftment,” he said.
“The six-day fair will stay open from 11am to 8pm. It will host a range of cultural activities, including performances by differently-abled artistes and eminent professionals. Visitors can also relish their favourite food from different regions of the country,” said an official.
