Ahmedabad: The 41-year-old artist, Devi Prashad Dash creates accessories, showpieces, as well as other home décor products from coconut shells that are generally discarded in the city. This man turned a business of making different creative accessories and he also provides training on how to make these products to the individuals in rural regions. Devi Prashad has also started a Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME).
Devi Prashad’s creative business
In the year 2011, Devi Prashad began making goods and developed his business by establishing training units and selling as well as delivering products to customers through social media channels. He went on to say that he has registered with Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) and has even been given the option to put up stalls at exhibits.
Dash further added, “I planned to collect all the used (waste) coconut shells, and crafted into antique jewelry, home decorative items, along with national bird peacock, and other animals.” He even described the process of making jewelry and other accessories by saying that he uses special tools to cut the shells and used adhesive to put all of the pieces together. He also paints peacocks, jewelry, and other home décor things with eco-friendly colours. He mentions that the coconut shell items which he makes range from a price of Rs 5,000 to Rs 5 lakh.
Devi Prashad even highlighted that he travels to rural regions of the state to give skills training to those who want to improve their abilities. He established a training centre in his home in Bhubaneswar and trained the students there.
Another incident of coconut crafted sculpture
A few days back, during the Ganesh Chaturthi holiday, a woman from Surat created a Ganesha idol out of 201 coconuts at a mall in Surat. Aditi Mittal, a dentist, created this with the objective of preventing environmental harm and the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Aditi went on to explain to ANI that she hopes and prays that people would be able to get rid of the negativity in their life. On each of the coconuts, she had engraved numerous gods and goddesses’ signs and symbols. She even assured that the coconuts will also be distributed as prasada to worshipers.