Renowned Kani Shawl artisan Farooq Ahmad Mir expressed gratitude for getting recognition for his work

Srinagar: On Republic Day, renowned Kani shawl maker Farooq Ahmad Mir received the Padma Shri award and thanked the government for recognizing his efforts.

Ahmad Mir told the media report that creating Kani shawls is his ancestral profession, which his kids have also learned about. “This is our ancestral work… When they saw the shawl, they gave me the National Award. I practiced calligraphy.

The ‘doha’ of Kabir was also inscribed on one of his shawls, he said. “On the Kani shawl, I inscribed the word ‘Doha’ of Sant Kabir. I never imagined receiving a Padma Shri. My kids learn it too. Now I lead them,” the artisan said.

The Natipora neighborhood of Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, is where Farooq Ahmad Mir is originally from. He has been honing the trade of weaving Kani shawls, a complex and distinctive craft that has been handed down through the ancestors, for more than thirty years.

For his outstanding contribution to the preservation and development of the internationally recognized Kani Shawl skill, President Droupadi Murmu awarded him the Padma Shri.

One of the highest civilian honors in the nation, the Padma awards are given out in three different categories: Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan.

‘Padma Vibhushan’ is given for outstanding and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ is given for high-order distinguished service; and ‘Padma Shri’ is given for distinguished service in any area. Each year, the honors are presented in honor of Republic Day.

The President bestows these honors at formal events that take place in Rashtrapati Bhawan, often in March or April each year.

Seven Padma Vibhushans, nineteen Padma Bhushans, and 113 Padma Shri awards were given out this year. The list includes 13 deceased awardees, 10 notable personalities from the Foreigners, NRI, PIO, and OCI categories, and 23 women among the honorees.

The award honors outstanding contributions to the country’s development and international prestige in a broad range of sectors. Numerous areas and spheres of endeavor, including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, commerce and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, and the civil service, are recognized with these prizes.