Srinagar, Dec 15: For Manzoor Ahmad Khan, a 68-year-old carpet weaver from Kathi Darwaza, Rainawari Srinagar, the National Award he received from the President of India is more than just recognition, as it is a tribute to a lifetime of quiet perseverance and passion for Kashmir’s world-renowned carpet craft.
“I have been working on carpets for over 50 years,” Khan said, his voice calm but proud. “This art has been my life. Even when the work slowed down and the world moved on, I stayed with my loom. I never thought of quitting.”
Khan said none of his family members or relatives continued this tradition. “My son is into his own business, and no one from my family chose this line. But I never gave up. Someone had to keep this art breathing,” he said.
He also recalled his early days as a teenage apprentice. “I started when I was just a boy. My teacher taught me how each knot carries a story. I never imagined that one day, the President of India would honour me for it,” he said, smiling softly.
Khan said his intricately woven carpets are celebrated for their precision and traditional Kashmiri motifs. “This award gives me strength, not just for myself, but for every artisan who works in silence. It means our art still matters,” he added.
Notably, Manzoor Ahmad Khan, is among the few remaining traditional weavers in Srinagar who continue to work on hand-knotted carpets entirely by hand, a process that can take months to complete a single piece. He received the National Award from President Droupadi Murmu and earned a Certificate of Excellence for preserving Jammu and Kashmir’s craft heritage—(KNO)
