Ashfaq Ahmed

“Hi friends, I am Ashfaq Ahmed and I was born in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. Those who know me well consider me to be someone who is a quick learner, a hard worker, and a dedicated person.

“I come from a family of rug creators. During my early years, I used to be fascinated by the bright and vibrant colors. Since my father was already in this rug-making craft from my childhood days, I learned this craft from him. In fact, my three brothers and I, we all learned this craft from our father. After mastering this craft, I and my four brothers started to work with our father and helped him to expand his business.

“Being a creative mind I always wanted to do something of my own. So I started a small workshop in Mirzapur by myself. Now I have a team of 25-30 members who work with me. We mainly work with wool and cotton for making my products due to their availability in a variety of types and colors. I believe nature is the biggest source of inspiration and it has given a new direction to my work.

“We have participated in many national fairs like Dastakar and Dastakari in Delhi. We have also participated in local exhibitions in Bangalore, Chennai, Pune and Mumbai. I have been able to generate employment for these workers who work with me to support their families and provide education to their children.

“I am very thankful to Novica for giving me a global platform to exhibit my talent. I want to reach out to the world market and give my art a new horizon to explore.”