In a remarkable display of creativity and sustainability, students from a private fashion technology institute in Berhampur, often called the Silk City, have created a unique portrait of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The artwork is crafted entirely from discarded pieces of cloth collected from local tailoring shops.
A Portrait Woven from Waste and Respect
The impressive 5 feet by 6 feet portrait, titled 'Fabric of respect portrait in up-cycled cloth', was officially unveiled on Sunday. The event was graced by Berhampur MLA K Anil Kumar and BJP's Ganjam district president Saroj Sabat. The students have expressed their desire to present this unique creation to the Prime Minister himself, hoping to do so through the state's Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Majhi. The local MLA assured the young artists that he would try his best to help fulfil their wish.
20 Days of Dedicated Effort by 22 Students
The project was a concerted effort by 22 girl students who dedicated themselves to the task for approximately 10 hours daily over 20 days. Ashees Sabat, the head of the institute, detailed the meticulous process. The team was divided into four specialized groups handling different stages: collecting the raw materials, cutting the fabric, selecting colours for the portrait, and the final hand-stitching.
"Our students collected around 20 kg of discarded clothes from different tailoring units in the city," Sabat explained. "They cut and stitched these carefully over a background cloth." He emphasized that no paste or chemicals were used in the entire process, making it a purely handcrafted and eco-friendly endeavour.
More Than Just Art: A Lesson in Values
For the institute and its students, this project transcended the boundaries of a simple art assignment. "It's not merely an artwork," Sabat stated. "The students' experience, patience, discipline, and respect for resources and responsibility are reflected through the art." The initiative served as a practical lesson in sustainability, resource management, and patient craftsmanship.
One of the students involved in the project shared the group's motivation. "We have selected to craft the portrait of Modi because he is working hard for the country. Moreover, he encourages youngsters to innovate and shows respect to cotton fabric," she said. Expressing hope, she added, "We hope the Prime Minister is likely to appreciate our innovation when it reaches him."
MLA K Anil Kumar commended the effort, saying, "We thank the students for creating a beautiful portrait of the Prime Minister." This unique portrait from Berhampur stands as a testament to youthful innovation, environmental consciousness, and national respect, crafted stitch by stitch from what was once considered waste.
