Minister for Public Works, Floriculture and Gardens & Parks, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari has congratulated Syed Maqbool Hussain Rizvi for being conferred with national award for excellence in Papier Mache craft.Wishing Hussain continuing successes in all his future craft endeavors, Mr Bukhari assured the artisans pursuing various crafts like Papier Mache, Khatamband, Pashmina shawls, Copper works, Wood works, and all other skills who were left to live in an atmosphere of despondency and scarcity of resources that the present dispensation shall explore all possibilities to address their grievances.“The state government is cognizant of its responsibility that their plight caused by the system and the private sector economic activity needs to be redressed without any further delay. I assure these artisans that the present government under the able leadership of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will help them come out of the morass of helplessness,” he observed.
Mr. Bukhari underlined PDP-BJP government’s commitment to promote traditional artisanship among the people of the State and strengthen it through better market linkages, proper branding and better access to credit.He said the Department of Handicrafts is formulating a comprehensive plan to build the capacity of poor traditional artisan craftsmen and to train the youth in traditional arts in Kashmir. Minister for Public Works observed that such support to the traditional artisans and craftsmen will add a new dimension to skill Kashmir mission, improve the economic conditions of those engaged in this sector.Pertinently, Maqbool won national award 2015 for paper mache and the award was conferred on him by the President Pranab Mukherjee at a grand ceremony honoring artisans from across the country in New Delhi.
Maqbool was awarded for a masterpiece (vase) which took him six months to make and has the entire Mughal emperors painted across its body. With an experience of 40 years, Maqbool is a prolific painter and paper Mache artist from Kashmir who has already won State Award in 2013.In his modest workshop in downtown Kathimaidan, Alamgiri Bazar Srinaga,r Maqbool has been creating wonders with his brush strikes. The variety of his designs range from Iranian to Indigenous Kashmiri patterns and include flower work, darbari work (Mughal art) and embossed work. He not only has developed expertise in traditional work but has also made some exhilarating innovations in the art of Paper Mache.Born on 15th January 1960 at Srinagar, Maqbool learnt this craft from his father. He has imparted training to about 50 students. He has participated in various exhibitions and has consistently received excellent response to his craft.