This embroiderer considers himself lucky to get new job

Manmeet Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 24

A skilled embroiderer with a local unit until the coronavirus pandemic had come to affect lives and livelihood, Umesh Kumar is now working as a helper at a tea shop on Lawrence Road.

Hailing from Bihar, Umesh had to return to his home after the nationwide lockdown was imposed and he lost his job. As whatever little savings he had was not enough to support him, Umesh returned to his home when the government arranged trains for migrant workers to reach their home states.

With things moving towards normalcy in recent months, Umesh returned to the city hoping to get his old job. However, as the market is not promising for embroidered clothes, the unit owners too are in a fix over whether to start the work.

“I consider myself lucky as I have found this job. I had fears that I would have to work as a manual labourer to which I am not very much accustomed to,” he said, adding that helping at a tea shop is easier than pulling a rickshaw or working as a porter in the construction industry.

Talking about the hardships, he said, “Many of my friends have lost their livelihoods. They are making rounds of the markets daily to find any work. It is a tough world but we have other options also.” He said he expected that the markets would take an upswing in the coming months and he would be able to get his old job.

“It is not about the job or earning a livelihood. It is also about what work you love to do. For me, embroidery is my passion,” he said. “I have not been able to send any money back to his parents and it pains him a lot,” rues Umesh.

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