I-Day: Sewing the fabric of the nation, one stitch at a time

Abdul Gaffar, a 71-year-old man affectionately known as ‘Flag Uncle’, has been sewing the Tricolour for over five decades now.

His dedication to making the Indian flag, a symbol of unity that brings together people from all races and religions, has earned him a special place in the hearts of many.

Gaffar began his journey as a flag maker at the tender age of 15. Two generations of his family has been involved in the task of sewing the Indian flag.

“I get orders for lakhs of flags despite being in Sadar Bazaar, where there is a lot of competition. I sell these in the local market,” says Gaffar.

Gaffar specialises in making flags of various sizes. Each flag is crafted with precision and care, a testament to his craftsmanship. One of the most heartwarming aspects of Gaffar’s work is his annual tradition of distributing the Indian Tricolour free of cost on August 15, Independence Day.

He says, “We have been doing this free distribution of flags since I started working. We don’t make much profit from tricolour even when we sell them. During Independence Day or Republic Day, we don’t make much money, though we make a good profit by selling party or religious flags.”

Beyond Borders

Gaffar’s flags are not only popular in India but also find buyers abroad. His work has a unique way of tying the country together, as he says, “People fight over the Hindu-Muslim issue. But I think we are human beings first — an Indian, then we can be divided into castes and religions.”

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His flags symbolise unity and remind us of our shared identity as Indians.

Gaffar shared how he started his journey. 

“I was a tailor earlier. Since there was no one in the market to stitch flags, my uncle encouraged me to do it. I was hesitant at first, but then, for the love of my country, I stitched without thinking about money. I also got 500 rupees a day, which was a good amount at that time. After some time, when Emergency was imposed in 1975, the demand for flags skyrocketed like never before. My business reached new heights, and I never looked back.

“Among political parties, I used to initially make flags of the Congress party only, but as the market saw a significant change in the last 10 years, we started making flags for every political party. We also made the highest number of flags during the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign and in January this year for the Ram Mandir inauguration. After we made 15 lakh flags during the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, Prime Minister Modi called me, and gave me the title of ‘Flag Man’.

“I even got some negative comments, like why I am making flags for Ram Mandir, but these things don’t bother me. I just do my work with honesty, and that is all I care about. All this hatred is for television only, but at heart, we are all one,” Gaffar added.

Gaffar’s legacy is not just in the flags he sews, but in the message of unity and patriotism he spreads with every stitch. 

As Independence Day approaches, the sight of Gaffar’s flags fluttering in the breeze serves as a symbol of hope and pride for all Indians. In a world often divided by small differences, the ‘Flag Uncle’ of Sadar Bazaar continues to sew together the fabric of the nation, one stitch at a time.