This woman scripts success in crafting terracotta jewellery

Gone are the days when the social role of a woman was limited to the family. Women have come a long way and have proved their mettle in many fields - from science and technology to politics, sports and others. They have achieved a benchmark in each and every profession. Draupadi Murmu, the President of India is one such example.

Grit and determination to succeed helped Neeli Lohit, a terracotta artist, to pursue her hobby as an industry and also taste success.

A homemaker initially, she was encouraged by her husband G K Lohit, who was a Research scientist, who did a PhD on ‘Molecular detection of vibrio vulnificus isolated from marine sources’. He was a Corona warrior and succumbed to the pandemic.

Sharing her journey, Neeli said that she started terracotta art as a hobby in 2017. "Lohit was my mentor. I never even imagined that I would lose him. The world crashed on me when he succumbed to Covid-19. There was no other way to take care of myself and my daughter. Then I decided to take the art form seriously. I had conducted online classes for many students across the world. There are students from California, United Kingdom, USA and Uganda. I have conducted 17 batches of online classes and 37 of my students are self-employed and financially independent."

Neeli said that the terracotta art requires a lot of patience and craftsmanship. She has so far created over 500 designs. Right from a nose pin to bridal jewellery, she has designed a variety of jewellery, which are much sought after by women of all ages. Though she has a showroom near Kamakshi hospital in Mysuru, most of her customers get to know about her jewellery via social media platforms. They also contact her via social media platforms. She has launched a website Neelikala.com.

"Don’t be afraid of anything, because you are a woman. You are strong at heart and that’s your greatest strength. You should understand that you are making a difference in so many lives," is Neeli’s International Women's Day message.