Ehsan Fazili/ Srinagar

“His fingers and thumbs cannot make an impression on the scanners for biometric records like Adhar cards, etc.” says Fayaz Ahmad Mir, son of Kashmir’s famous Kani-shawl weaver Farooq Ahmed Mir, who has been awarded the Padma Shri for his craft and its preservation this Republic Day.

Speaking with Awaz-the Voice, on the phone for his 72-year-old father who is busy receiving guests congratulating him for the honour, Fayaz Ahmed Mir said his father’s thumb and finger impressions have vanished due to the weaving for his work of shawl weaving for six decades.

“He started learning the delicate shawl weaving - Pashmina and Kani- from his father at 10. A Khraav - wooden platform footwear used by Kashmiris to wade through slush and snow in winter – was used as a platform for the young weaver to access the loom”.

Farooq Ahmad Mir, 72, is also a recipient of Sant Kabir Award in 2014, the J&K State Award for conserving the fine art of shawl making, a painstaking task.

Farooq Ahmad Mir is sanguine over getting the fourth-highest civilian award at the national level. “It is the hard work and sustained contribution in the art which has borne fruit. I have worked right since my childhood with early training from my father….this art has been in our family for generations”, he told Awaz-The Voice in his feeble voice.

Mir belongs to Narwara, a Srinagar downtown locality and the family shifted to the Chhanapora area in 2014.

Kani Shawl which is woven like a carpet is among the finest and rarest ones of shawls of Kashmir. It is also one of the oldest handicraft items of the valley and enjoys a Geographical Indication or GI tag.

Farooq Ahmad Mir at his loom

Fayaz Ahmad Mir recalls his grandfather’s association with the art. “Our family is continuing with the tradition despite having higher educational qualifications.” He and his elder brothers Maajid Ahmad Mir and Altaf Hussain Mir have gone to colleges and universities but have chosen to pursue their traditional vocations.

“We have observed that the art of weaving pays more than what a Government employee would earn”, Fayaz Ahmad told Awaz The Voice. The brothers learned weaving from their father to continue the legacy.

“We have adopted this art from our forefathers and have the responsibility to save art for posterity”. Fayaz Ahmad said “Honesty pays” and hard work is always recognized.

He recalled the moments he had shared with the Prime Minister in 2023 and once earlier. “They (PMs) appreciated the art and our hard work and patience associated with this art”. He recalled meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai.

The eldest brother Maajid Ahmad Mir is presently conducting a workshop for national and international travelers at the airport in Delhi, Maajid, a Postgraduate in Economics and Political Science, has also held such workshops in London, Sweden, Spain, and Japan. He has also held workshops in many parts of the country.

Farooq Ahmad Mir being felicitated by Mussarat islam, Director Handicrafts,Kashmir in Srinagar

Altaf Hussain Mir has also held a workshop in Argentina.

Meanwhile, the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Kashmir on Monday extended congratulations to its three master craftsmen for having been conferred Padma Shri and J&K Government Awards for excellence in the field of arts and crafts, an official spokesman said.

While Farooq Ahmad Mir, the renowned Kani weaver from Srinagar, was conferred the prestigious Padma Shri Award 2025, in recognition of his 60 years of perseverance in promoting the unique craft of Kani weaving, Mukhtar Ahmad Bhat from Sonpah, Beerwah Budgam, and Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, from Badamwari Srinagar, where given J&K Government Awards for their immense contribution in taking crafts like Sozni and Kani weaving to the next level.

Director Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir, Mussarat Islam, showered praise on the awardees for bringing laurels to Kashmir Handicrafts and inspiring the younger generation to carry on the tradition of making exquisite hand-made products from the valley.

“This recognition shall provide traction to the indigenous craft of Kani weaving as well as intricate Sozni embroidery on Pashmina fabric which has the potential to emerge on global markets in a much bigger way,” he stated.

Later, a team of officers led by the Director, visited the residence of Padma Shri Awardee Farooq Ahmad Mir at Chanapora, Srinagar, to personally congratulate him and his family for the honor bestowed upon him. The team included Mirza Shahid Ali, Deputy Director, Quality Control, Amina Assad, Chief Designer, School of Designs, and Riyaz Ahmad Kawoosa, PEO.

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The Department shall shortly organize a function to felicitate all the awardees, and also hold interactive sessions to bring these stalwarts face-to-face with craft trainees enrolled in the department, the statement added