Abdul Kadar Khatri

Abdul Kadar Khatri was born on 1 April 1961 to a Muslim family in Bagh, Madhya Pradesh, India. He was the eldest son of Ismail Sulemanji Khatri, who revived the tradition of Bagh Print, a form of hand block printing on textiles using natural dyes. Abdul Kadar learned the craft from his father and became a master craftsman himself. He experimented with modernity in the wood blocks and colours, and created Bagh Print on different types of cloth by printing on them. He also developed new vegetable-based dyes that improved upon the red and black dyes previously used. His primary innovation was creating a black dye from corroded iron, jaggery and tamarind seed powder. He also used alum and alum water to fix the colours on the cloth. He was known for his intricate designs and motifs inspired by nature, geometry and local culture. His work was appreciated by many eminent personalities such as Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, Martand Singh, Laila Tyabji, and Ṛta Kapur Chishti. He also participated in many national and international exhibitions and festivals, showcasing his exceptional talent in Bagh Print. He received many awards and recognitions for his work, such as the National Award by Former President of India Pratibha Patil in 2005, the State Award by former Governor of Madhya Pradesh Kunwar Mahmud Ali Khan in 1991, the International Award of Excellence for Handicrafts by UNESCO in 2018, and the Kala Nidhi Award by Haryana Tourism at Surajkund International Crafts Festival in 2015. He also received certificates of appreciation from the Indian embassy in Muscat, Oman and the Consulate General of India in Melbourne, Australia. He was married to Rashida Bee Khatri, who is also a Bagh Print artist and a twice state award winner. They had four sons, Arif, Mohammed, Hamid Zilani, and Mohammed Ali, who are also involved in the craft. Abdul Kadar Khatri passed away on 12 May 2019 at the age of 58 due to a non-communicable disease. He was buried in his hometown of Bagh, Madhya Pradesh. He left behind a legacy of Bagh Print artifacts and innovations that have brought laurels to India and particularly to Madhya Pradesh state from across the globe. He is remembered as one of the most influential and successful craftsmen in the field of traditional hand block printing.