Srinagar: Potter Mohammad Umar Kumar is working enthusiastically and tirelessly at his Nishat unit to meet the huge order of 5,000 earthen lamps that would be lit under the initiative “Mere Mitti Mera Desh” in government offices to celebrate the 75th independence day in Kashmir.

A 27-year-old Kashmiri commerce graduate, Umar worked throughout day and night on his wheel along with his few labourers to meet the deadline of 5,000 clay lamps, the order received a few days ago from authorities to be delivered on August 9.

The Union government has launched the “Meri Maati Mera Desh” campaign, envisaged as a culminating event of the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” celebration of 75 years of Indian Independence, in which soil collected from different parts of the country to develop different kinds of things on the occasion.

“This is a good initiative and I am extremely happy to prepare earthen lamps which would be lit to celebrate the 75th Independence Day in various offices and panchayats in Kashmir valley under the Mere Mitti Mera Desh Motive,” Umar told UNI.

Umar is a well-known Potter of the valley whose hand-made glazed pots made of clay have been added in the new existing crafts of Jammu and Kashmir by the authorities recently.

Umar had claimed that his glazed pots are more hygienic as compared to the machine-made items from China and America.

His glazed clay made “Samovar” (a traditional Kashmiri Tea pot) was also showcased in the Art and Craft Bazaar during the third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting held from 22nd to 24th May 2023 in Srinagar.

Umar said the “Mere Mitti Mera Desh” initiative will not only encourage the people of the country to express their love and affection towards the nation but will also enable scores of people to earn their livelihood.

Umar has also made some pieces of clay “Tiranga” or tricolor on tiles which would be put on the entrance gates of government offices in Srinagar and other parts of the valley during the independence celebrations.

(With UNI Inputs)