Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 21 : A 25-year-old sculptor from Udhampur, Rahul Sharma, has returned from corporate hubs to his native village, Kuprala, sparking an artistic revival that seamlessly combines ancient Dogri culture with modern materials.
While proficient in traditional media such as stone, concrete, and metal, Sharma's current focus is on fibre sculptures, which form the core of his first startup aimed at promoting both art and local employment.
In an interview with ANI, Sculptor Rahul Sharma says, "I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts 4-year degree from Jammu University. I have been working for the past three years. The government has made efforts to encourage cultural activities, languages, and traditional outfits. In addition, several government schemes were launched to promote art and culture, such as the Vishwakarma Yojana, have been launched, employing many people."
He further explained, "This is my first startup, and I am using fibre material for my sculptures. I want to request the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to also take advantage of such schemes, just like I do, and my job also provides employment to 3-4 people every day. The government supports not only jobs but also startups, so young people should think about starting their own businesses".
Rahul traced his passion for art back to his school days. "From the very beginning, I have been interested in art, and I want to be an artist. In school, when the teacher assigned drawing homework, I did it with passion. When I go to college, there are three departments sculptor and others", he said.
Apart from art, Rahul is committed to reviving Dogri culture. He said, "My focus is to promote Dogri culture. There were many traditional things I wanted to bring back to people. For example, in Dogri, there were songs called lambi pankh, so I want to bring that forgotten culture back. People used to sit beneath the Sacred Fig (peepal tree), believing it removed negativity. But now, people are forgetting their culture. He stated further, "Adopt your culture, come back to your roots".
He also urged youth to create livelihoods for themselves and others. "Government jobs are not the only path to success. Youth should create their own job that provides livelihood to others. It is not necessary that you will only do good by doing government jobs. You can start your own startup. The government also provides various schemes to help those who want to start their own businesses, including loans and subsidies," added Rahul.
Through his initiative, Rahul Sharma is not only reviving art and culture in Kuprala but also inspiring a generation of young entrepreneurs and cultural advocates across Jammu and Kashmir.