Chamba artist Lalita Vakil honoured with Padma Shri

Tribune News Service

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, January 25

Lalita Vakil was overwhelmed after being named for Padma Shri for her contribution towards preserving the traditional art of Chamba Rumal of Chamba district of Himachal.

While talking to The Tribune she said, “I have been overwhelmed with phone calls and people congratulating me since today evening since the government announced that I shall be receiving Padma Shri.

I have been working for the promotion of Chamba Rumal for the past about 50 years and this award was not just recognition for me but also for the traditional art of Chamba Rumal of Chamba district. I hope it will attract more people towards learning the art of making Chamba Rumal in Chamba district and across the country,” Lalita Vakil said.

Lalita started the work of promoting and preserving the dying art of making Chamba Rumal 50 years ago. “At that time there was no government support for my work. We used to go the Chamba DC for financial support and used to get Rs 15 month after much lobbying. In the last few decades I have travelled extensively across the country and in foreign countries for the promotion of this art,” she said.

“I am happy that the state government was now patronising Chamba Rumal art. The students or ladies who learn Chamba Rumal knitting are paid a daily of Rs 300 now by the government. Many centres have also come up that teach the art of knitting Chamba Rumal. I just hope that this art gets linked to the livelihood of women in Chamba district. It was the only way in which traditional art of Chamba district can be preserved,” Lalita added.

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