Prison inmates set up stall at Dasara exhibition in Mysuru

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramadas Athawale visited the Shilpa Samagama Mela at Dasara Exhibition Ground in Mysuru on October 13, 2026. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Moving from punitive justice towards reformation, Central Prisons across Karnataka are encouraging inmates to engage more in production activity. As part of the initiative, the Prisons and Correctional Services Department, Central Prison, Mysuru, opened a stall at Dasara Exhibition Ground on October 16 evening featuring a number of products manufactured by the inmates of Central Prisons in Mysuru, Belagavi, Dharwad, Ballari, and Vijayapura.

Under police supervision, two male inmates were present at the stall to sell their products that include mats, carpets, waist cloth, varieties of towel, bedsheets, kerchief, and other handwoven items.

Colourful diyas crafted by inmates inside the dark cells of prison greet the visitors at the entrance of the stall.

This year, the stall features a unique collection of shirts. Cotton shirts with a price tag of ₹1, 050, manufactured using materials sourced from Surat in Gujarat, will compete with similar premium products in the market., said officials.