Zosna Salam who is hailing from Khurai Nandeibam Leikai made a great effort to get entry into Sangai Festival 2015. She indeed had faith to her creativity and talent of doll-making and upon her faith and by the grace of God she could display and sells hand-made dolls in this fest. She is one of the daughters among six siblings born to Salam Abidrang Meitei and Salam (O) Dhaneshwori Devi. Dolls made by her are displayed at Stall No 5 provided by DC Imphal East.
It came to light that she did MA in Manipur University and completed her Master degree from Department of Commerce, MU in 2014. At present she is pursuing B. Ed. from Kanan Devi Memorial College of Education. Beside she is teaching in a coaching centre. She further states that life never explores itself but one should persist to it and should have the experience of it. Doll-making is one such profession which exists since time immemorial but we hardly explore different ways of making it. She struck an idea since years back to start an activity of such micro home industry to conserve our economy and develop the notion of self-employment. It could gain the paradigm of work culture, is the long dreamed dream of Zosna.
Zosna states that the art of doll-making is with her but the availability of raw materials was a big issues lying before her. Because those materials are not easily available in our local market and so had to import from other states like Kolkata, Delhi and even from Myanmar. Basically the velvet materials are imported from Myanmar. Her hand-made dolls are comparatively beautiful like those imported which are available in our market in plenty but Zosna’s dolls are precious. Her dolls are of different varieties-domestic pets, teddy bears and many more in different sizes ranging the cost from Rs. 30 to Rs. 2500. In a day she can make 3/4 dolls alone. For a common medium sized doll, she needs about 4 hours to complete. So far her work goes with great progress but still she did not apply for any Merit or Award. But hope for it.
