Meera Thakur from Bihar in India practices and teaches sikki grass craft. She has received the Seal of Excellence for Handicrafts from UNESCO and the Nari Shakti Puraskar.
Career
![](../I/The_tableau_of_Bihar_on_the_theme_%E2%80%98Sikki_Grass_Craft_of_Bihar%E2%80%99_passes_through_the_Rajpath_during_the_full_dress_rehearsal_for_the_Republic_Day_Parade-2013%252C_in_New_Delhi_on_January_23%252C_2013.jpg.webp)
Meera Thakur was born in Umri in Bihar, India. At the age of four she started to learn sikki grass craft from her mother, making adornments, vases and boxes.[1] Sikki is a grass only found in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, which gives a golden fibre.[2] Thakur lives in Madhubani, where she runs Hastakala Vikas Kendra, an organization which trains disadvantaged women in craftwork.[2][3] It has set up the Folk Art Handicraft Training Centre.[4]
Awards and recognition
The Delhi Crafts Council gave Thakur the Bal Shilpi Artist award in 1988 and she received the Seal of Excellence for Handicrafts from UNESCO in 2005.[1][5] She was presented with the Nari Shakti Puraskar on International Women's Day 2022.[4]
References
- 1 2 Dhiman, Ramesh K. (16 December 2005). "Lifestyle". The Tribune. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- 1 2 Bhatia, Gaurav (3 December 2012). "Creations of sikki grass draw visitors". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ↑ "29 get Nari Shakti Awards". The Tribune. 9 March 2022. Archived from the original on 11 March 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- 1 2 Kainthola, Deepanshu (8 March 2022). "President Presents Nari Shakti Puraskar for the Years 2020, 2021". Tatsat Chronicle. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ↑ "मधुबनी की मीरा को राष्ट्रपति ने किया सम्मानित, यूनेस्को सील ऑफ एक्सीलेंस अवॉर्ड मिला था 2005 में". Bihar Express. 11 March 2022. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.