Zuber's is among the 500 families from Miraj whose nine generations have been into making musical instruments
Miraj-based sitar maker Zuber Pathan (30) is on cloud nine. The Make in India Week has turned out to be 'making money' for him, that too in dollars. The man, who is displaying his sitar and guitar at the 'Magnetic Maharashtra' exhibit with the support of Maharashtra small-scale industries development corporation, received an order for 50 of the stringed instruments from a US-based scientist on Monday.
The order has come from Dr Vishwas Ghorpade, based in Michigan. Incidentally, Ghorpade hails from Sangli and is working for a multinational agriculture-based company. Also, he isn't buying them for sale but to promote the Miraj makers and their instruments in the US.
"This is the biggest order for me or any family in Miraj till date," an ecstatic Zuber told dna. His is among the 500-plus families in Miraj involved in making sitar, guitar and other musical instruments for almost nine generations now. Zuber and his family make sitar, veena, tanpura, guitar and other stringed instruments. The lowest priced one — a sitar — costs Rs16,000. Ghorpade's total order comes to around Rs15 lakh.
The deal is being regarded as a big push for state's local artisans. "This will send a positive sentiment among all making instruments in Miraj, which will help save the art as well," said Zuber, who is concerned that the younger generations of over 150 families have joined lucrative businesses over the years.
The state has already stepped up its efforts to support Zuber and others. A one-acre plot has been reserved in the MIDC to develop a cluster of musical instruments manufacturing units. "The upcoming centre would have a raw material bank, training institute, instrument workshop, marketing and an e-marketing cell," said Shivaji Daund, IAS and MD of Maharashtra small-scale industries development corporation.
The corporation is developing 11 such clusters across the state to support artisans, said Daund. These includes lac bangles and ornaments at Achalpur (Wardha), wooden toys at Sawantwadi (Sindhudurg), Warli painting at Wada (Palghar), pottery at Yavatmal, wall hanging at Solapur, Paithni at Paithan and copper items at Dhule.
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