Team of People with Disabilities Make 400 Idols Daily
Shrikrishna Maharishi decided to start a manufacturing unit of idols of gods, goddesses, and other objects where he employed people with disabilities.
Shrikrishna Maharishi, an art teacher at Rajasthan School of Arts in Jaipur, received half of his monthly salary amid Covid-19 situation, he was unhappy. He decided to change his fate. He took a small loan, and along with his friend Roshan Verma, set up a small factory to manufacture idols of gods, goddesses, and other objects. In this manufacturing unit, many disabled people got employment. Many of them had lost their jobs due to Covid- 19. They produce 400 statues altogether in a day. Their products are sold in the wholesale market in Jaipur as well as online. One of the specially-abled employees Kalpana Devi has polio, and was earlier working at a tailoring outlet. She said that people stopped buying newly stitched clothes, and it was difficult for her to sustain.She was guided by others to join this unit. In the manufacturing unit, she learned how to make idols of gods and goddesses. Kalpana manages to earn ?6,000 a month. Maharishi says they have made their products cost-effective against Chinese products and so far they have been successful.
He added that the work at the unit does not require walking around too much and one can finish one's job sitting in one place. This is helpful for them.They asked all the new joiners to bring some of their friends for work and the total strength of the unit increased to 15. Among the people employed in the manufacturing unit, 40% are from outside Jaipur. Most of their employees hail from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Shrikrishna Maharishi said that if they expand their business, they will have 50 percent of jobs reserved for the differently-abled. He wants people with disabilities to live their life with dignity.
