Migrants, who returned from Jammu and Kashmir, pad up for new innings in Bihar

A few months after he returned from Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir, where he worked in a cricket bat manufacturing unit, 29-year-old Abulesh Alam is in no mood to leave Bihar. His employer has offered him and his nine other associates (who too worked in the same field) airfare worth Rs 7,000 each. But Alam and his friends are padding up for a new innings in Bihar by setting up their own bat manufacturing unit in Champaran.

"Covid-19 has taught us many lessons. One such lesson is: Stay connected to your roots. It's quite possible that we may not earn as much as we used to get in Anantnag (around Rs 30,000 per month). But even if we earn Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 in our home state, it will be sufficient," Alam told Deccan Herald on Monday. He dwelt at length how he plans to set up a new cricket bat manufacturing unit in his Parasauni village in West Champaran district with the support of Bihar Government.

"In Anantnag and Awantipora, we used to manufacture seven to ten Kashmiri willow bats a day. These cricket bats were in great demand and sought by legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Dhoni," says Alam, who has worked there for eight years.

"Despite our employer offering each of us air ticket, we have decided to stay in our home town in Bihar for two reasons. First, in this era of coronavirus, we cannot move out even in J&K. Secondly, suppose if we get Covid-19 infected, we won't be able to return from Anantnag to Bihar on time. So, instead, we decided to use our skills in manufacturing cricket bats in West Champaran itself which has dense forest area with huge cover of poplar trees - used in making willows of cricket bats," argued Alam.

Like Alam, Naushad and Irshad are some of his colleagues who have learnt the art of moulding logs of poplar tree into exquisite bats. "What better if you earn a living at your home. And you can give employment to others too if they hone their skills and join your cricket bat manufacturing unit in Champaran," says Naushad.

This group of ten Muslim workers have approached the district magistrate for assistance in setting up their units. "The DM has been quite helpful. Very soon, we will get the financial assistance which, in turn, will help us in purchasing equipments like gaze machine, wood planner, cutter pressing machine and sander machine," he says, adding that the rainy season could be an impediment but things would brighten when the sun shines post-monsoon.