An Indian man says he paid about $4,000 for a bespoke gold face mask to protect him from the coronavirus raging in the country.

The precious metal covering weighs 60 grams (two ounces) and took craftsmen eight days to make, said businessman Shankar Kurhade, from the western city of Pune.

“It is a thin mask and has tiny pores that is helping me to breathe,” Shankar told AFP. “I am not sure if it will be effective to protect me from a coronavirus infection but I am taking other precautions,” he added.

Businessman Shankar Kurhade wears a facemask made of gold amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, in Pune on July 4. — AFP
Businessman Shankar Kurhade wears a facemask made of gold amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, in Pune on July 4. — AFP

Opinion

Editorial

A new deal
Updated 16 Jun, 2026

A new deal

AFTER three and a half months of war between US-Israel and Iran and an acrimonious temporary ceasefire, a genuine...
Charter of economy
16 Jun, 2026

Charter of economy

NO one expected the PTI to accept the government’s invitation to sign a charter of economy; just as few expected...
Hostage seamen
16 Jun, 2026

Hostage seamen

SOME 50 days on, 11 Pakistani nationals are still in Somali pirates’ captivity. Their appeals to the Pakistani and...
Climate choices
Updated 15 Jun, 2026

Climate choices

The country is confronting increasingly volatile weather patterns with consequences for agriculture, infrastructure, public health and economic planning.
Brief opening
15 Jun, 2026

Brief opening

WE have been here before. Throughout the weekend, there was great anticipation that a tentative framework for peace...
Environmental disaster
15 Jun, 2026

Environmental disaster

IT was a heartbreaking sight. A recent news report in these pages carried a picture of a sea turtle lying half ...