With netas failing to keep their promises, all the effort that Narayanappa and his wife had put in to weave the 6-yard, 15-gram sari for the Obamas will now go waste
With netas failing to keep their promises, all the effort that Narayanappa and his wife had put in to weave the 6-yard, 15-gram sari for the Obamas will now go wasteR Narayanappa is worried that his and his wife's efforts towards weaving a 6-yard sari that can fit into a matchbox for Barack and Michelle Obama will go waste. The weaver had been running from pillar to post to get netas and bureaucrats to find a way of ensuring that Obama gets the sari.
Unfulfilled Wish:The story that MiD DAY had carried in theu00a0September 2 issue.Narayanappa started weaving the sari last September, when Obama planned to visit Bangalore as part of his India trip. File picNarayanappa (69) and his wife Kamalamma (65) toiled for six months to weave the sari, a stole and a scarf for the US first couple. The sari is made out of silk and weighs a mere 15 gram.
They started producing these last September, when Obama was expected to visit Bangalore as part of his India trip. However, the itinerary changed and Obama decided to skip visiting India's Silicon Valley.
While Narayanappa was disappointed, local leaders and officials assured them that they would make arrangements for him to meet Obama either in Mumbai or in Delhi.
To encourage the couple, the fabric was even exhibited in the recently-concluded Silk Utsav.
But, even as the country gears up for the visit, the local leaders seem to have forgotten their promises. While Sericulture Minister Venkataramanappa was disqualified as an MLA, Lakshmi Narayana, chairman, Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation, said it was too late for him to do anything.
'Too late'When MiD DAY reminded him of his commitment, Narayana washed his hands off saying, "Narayanappa had to come up with a proper requisition for us to prepare a proposal to the Government of India. I think it is too late now and I can't help."
He said he would explore the possibility of sending Narayanappa to the US to meet Obama once the president's India visit was over.
But Narayanappa doesn't want any more promises. "Can we bank on these political promises?" he asked. "I counted on their word and now I am feeling let down."
Dr T S Somashekar, former director of Central Silk Board, was Narayanappa's last hope as he had said he would try using the bureaucratic route to reach Obama. But, he also had to throw up his hands eventually.
"I had asked Narayanappa to keep in touch with me after the fabric was exhibited to the media in September, but he did not turn up. I think we have wasted precious time and nothing can be done now."
