Divisional Commissioner starts campaign to revive business of 'Rampuri Chaku'

Rampur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 24 : The former District Magistrate of Rampur and the current Divisional Commissioner Moradabad, Anjaneya Kumar Singh has started a campaign to revive the business of Rampur knives which became the identity of the area.
According to Singh, through this campaign, the products that were manufactured in Rampur, including knives were exhibited in the entire country. They were displayed in many exhibitions including Delhi, Agra and also in Haats in Rampur.
Afshan Raza Khan of Artism Studio 13 proposed to the then District Magistrate of Rampur, Anjaneya Kumar Singh to restore the identity of 'Rampuri Chaku' and revive the knife business in the city.
The District Magistrate then sought the Rampur Development Authority's help to initiate the process, said Khan.
Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh has a different identity, in which Rampur's name has been in the limelight somewhere or the other, be it the Nawabi period or the country's independence or politics.
Rampur is known for various things. Whether the Raza Library where Hazrat Ali's handwritten Quran is kept or where the second tomb of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi after the Raj Ghat is located.
It had a different identity that was often mentioned in Hindi films as well. Knives made from Rampur in different styles were supplied all over the country and traders from other places visited Rampur to buy them.
As the times changed, the size rules also changed and the cost of the material being used became high. As foreign goods entered the country at low prices, this business came to a complete standstill. The factories manufacturing it were closed down and the artisans who made knives by hand were also forced to work as daily wagers.
Currently, only one family makes and trades knives in Rampur, confirmed sources.
Khan while speaking about the campaign told ANI that after several months of hard work, a knife 20 feet long and three feet wide in size was prepared from mixed metal.
This metal was sourced from Moradabad which was a mix of brass, steel and mild steel which will not be corroded or rusted soon, said Mohd Yameen, the knife maker.
This 20 feet knife has been installed at Jauhar Chowk (Nainital Road) in Rampur which costs Rs 29 lakh so far and the finishing work is still going on, confirmed Khan while speaking to ANI.
The knife makers claim that it is the largest knife in the world and has been recorded as the largest knife in Asia. It will also be recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest knife, said the knife makers.
Many prominent personalities can be involved in the campaign, said the Divisional Commissioner.