India's Crochet Queen: How Odisha's Sakila Bano Wove Her Way Into The Guinness World Records
Once a simple household skill, crochet has become Sakila Bano’s passport to global recognition. After getting into the Guinness Records, the artist is inspiring many.
Published : October 7, 2025 at 1:28 PM IST
By Seikh Mohammad Wahid
Balangir: In the otherwise quiet lanes of Sudpada in Odisha’s Balangir district, colourful wool and needles have come to signify transformation. And the hand stringing and spinning the change is 46-year-old Sakila Bano. Recognised as the ‘Crochet Queen of India,’ Sakila has not been spinning exquisite creations only but also a scripting a remarkable story of success and empowerment.
Happily settled as a homemaker till six years back, Sakila started re-nurturing her childhood pastime by crafting woolen items for her family when her children got busy with their career. That this craft would one day catapult Sakila to hold two Guinness World Records, was beyond her imagiantion. Once she got going, she made handcrafted pieces ranging from sweaters and socks to decorative flowers and tablecloths, all of which found admirers across India, especially in southern states. As appreciation started coming Sakila’s way, she quickly but steadily turned the passion into a flourishing business and became self-reliant. But that was not all. She began a movement where she trained young women in the craft and empowered hundreds to become financially independent.
“I learnt the craft from my mother at a young age and continued doing it even after marriage. But I never thought this would define me one day,” says a humble Sakila.
Her dedication soon paid off. As Sakila began exhibiting her handmade products at local fairs, lots of people admired her work and the demand for her products grew. Gradually her crochet works were sought after by people in other states. Today, she receives bulk orders worth lakhs of rupees annually, earning over Rs 10 lakh every year.
Twice, in February 2024 and March 2025, Sakila etched her name in Guinness World Records for creating over 4,000 crochet items, giving her the title of India’s Crochet Queen.
But Sakila was not content with her own success. She wanted to hold the hands of others who wanted to be self-reliant. So she decided to share her skills with other women in her community. For the past two years, ‘Sakila Madam’, as her students call her, has been conducting free training sessions at her home and in nearby villages.
So far she has trained over 1,000 women, many of whom now run small businesses and run their families. Her efforts have been supported by local NGOs such as Maa Shakti Foundation and the Balangir Women’s Organization.
“When people started appreciating my creations, I thought it was the right time to channelise the craftwork well. Now, my goal is to teach as many women as I can so they can become self-reliant too,” says Sakila.
Her husband, Md. Ilyas Khan has been supportive of Sakila’s work. “My wife has achieved this through sheer hard work. It is also important that she is using her success to uplift others,” he says.
“In the present day, traditional crafts can generate modern livelihoods. But one needs to be innovative to cater to the tastes of buyers. A single crochet flower I make, the materials cost only Rs 10. But the same sells for up to Rs 200,” explains she.
Sangeeta Biswal and Rashmita Raut who were trained by Sakila say they have made an identity of their own by creating crochet items. As Sangeeta puts it, “We now make and sell our own products. We are financially independent and supporting our families.”
Amar Nath Patnaik, Senior Manager at Maa Shakti NGO, says, “Sakila Bano’s Guinness achievement has paved the way for many other women, who are learning from Sakila and turning into entrepreneurship.”
Similarly, Nutan Das, President of Balangir Women’s Organisation, hails Sakila’s work and says, “Imagine something that was an ordinary household craft till some time back, becoming one of the most sought after knit-work. One needs to be enterprising and Sakila is the brightest example,” she adds.
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