New Delhi: In the lanes of Moradabad, known across India as the Brass City, 74 years’ old Chiranji Lal Yadav has spent over five decades shaping metal into stories. Awarded the Padma Shri in 2026, his recognition celebrates more than personal excellence. It honours a life devoted to preserving India’s brass engraving tradition. Through patience, discipline, and artistic mastery, Yadav turned everyday metal objects into cultural expressions admired both in India and overseas.

Working quietly since 1970, he chose skill over spotlight and tradition over trends. His journey reflects the strength of Indian handicrafts built on mentorship, labour, and continuity. As a master artisan and teacher, Chiranji Lal Yadav ensured that naqqashi did not fade into memory but remained a living, working craft. Read here about him.

Born and raised in Moradabad, often called Pital Nagri, Chiranji Lal Yadav grew up surrounded by brass workshops and skilled hands. Exposure to traditional engraving techniques shaped his early years and guided his lifelong commitment to the craft.

Shilp Guru Chiranji Lal Yadav said he was born into a poor family. His father, late Phaggan Lal Yadav, sold roasted gram and worked as a daily labourer. After completing his education up to Class 7, he began learning brass engraving to earn a livelihood.

At that time, he learned the craft of engraving under Guru Amar Singh, who shaped him in the true mould of Moradabad’s traditional craftsmanship. He says he can never forget his guru. Over the years, he worked on various styles such as mehrav work, Verma bidar work, panchranga work, anguri work, fine work, and marodi work, with marodi being the most intricate and delicate form.

Yadav specialises in naqqashi, a hand-engraving technique demanding extreme precision and control. His work involves etching delicate patterns directly onto brass surfaces, a process that leaves no room for error and relies entirely on experience and steady craftsmanship.

Under a central government initiative, the Shilp Guru showcased his art in Frankfurt, Germany, in 2015. Earlier, he had travelled to Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Malaysia in 2010 to present his craftsmanship. Within India, he has displayed his work at several prominent venues, including Pragati Maidan and Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi, the National Crafts Museum, Kalagram Chandigarh, Valluvar Kottam and Poompuhar in Chennai, Gandhinagar in Ahmedabad, and Shilparamam in Hyderabad.

At present, he continues to supply his brass products and has participated in major craft fairs such as the Kolkata fairs, Dilli Haat, the Surajkund International Crafts Mela, and the Shilparamam International Craft Fair in Hyderabad.

Beyond personal artistry, Yadav’s lasting contribution lies in teaching. Through the Guru-Shishya tradition, he has trained thousands of young artisans, helping sustain livelihoods and preserve Moradabad’s craft ecosystem. His two sons are also skilled in this art and are carrying forward the family tradition.

A vocal supporter of traditional craftsmanship, he has often spoken about declining interest among younger generations drawn toward private-sector employment. His work stands as both resistance and reassurance that hand skills still matter.

Before receiving the Padma Shri 2026, Shilp Guru Chiranji Lal Yadav received his first State Skill Award in 1992 from the then Chief Minister Kalyan Singh. He later received the State Skill Award again in 1994, 1995, 1998, and 1999. In 2008, he was honoured with the National Merit Award. Yadav earned the Shilp Guru title, the highest national honour granted to master craftspeople. These recognitions acknowledge his role as both creator and custodian of Indian handicraft heritage.

Operating under Chiranji Lal Handicrafts, he continues his work in Moradabad, proving that dedication and cultural responsibility can coexist with global relevance.

Chiranji Lal Yadav’s story is not only about awards or artistry. It is about continuity, mentorship, and faith in the hands that shape India’s cultural identity, one engraved line at a time.