The mask weighs around 100 grams and cost Rs 3.5 lakh
With governments and health experts stressing on mandatory use of N-95 face masks amid continuous spike in coronavirus cases, a businessman in Odisha has got himself a mask made of gold.
55-year-old Alok Mohanty said his fascination for gold, coupled with media reports on Pune businessman with a customised gold mask worth Rs 2.89 lakh, inspired him to contact jewellers in Mumbai and get one made for himself.
"After I saw a man in Mumbai making gold masks, I decided to get one for myself too. I contacted a jeweller of Zaveri Bazar, Mumbai with the proposal to prepare a mask of gold and the latter agreed," he told ANI.
Mr Mohanty, who owns a furniture store in Odisha's Cuttack, said an N-95 mask has been used as the base for manufacturing the gold protective gear which weighs around 100 grams and costs Rs 3.5 lakh, reported PTI.
Elastic bands, attached to the gold mask, make it comfortable to wear and provides a secure fit, he said.
The Mumbai jeweller who made the mask took 22 days to make it after Mr Mohanty placed an order.
Alok Mohanty, popularly known as the Gold Man, is also a social activist. He has been distributing food and other essential items to the needy to help them cope with the coronavirus pandemic, he told PTI.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)