Lalit Kala Akademi, the National Academy of Art under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, celebrated its 72nd Foundation Day today at Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi.

The Foundation Day function was graced by Shri K.K. Mishra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture, as the Chief Guest. Prior to the commencement of the programme, Shri K.K. Mishra paid floral tributes to the statue of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore at Rabindra Bhavan and  visited a Timeline Exhibition, depicting the rich legacy, major milestones and significant achievements of Lalit Kala Akademi during its seventy-two years of service to Indian visual arts.

On the occasion, two important publications, "Chitrakar Kanu Desai" and "Kalaguru Ravishankar Raval", authored by Shri Kanaiyalal Fakirchand Patel (Kanu Patel), published by the Lalit Kala Akademi were formally released.

As part of the celebrations, eminent artist Shri Rajesh Sharma presented a live painting demonstration, offering the audience an opportunity to witness the creative process of a distinguished practitioner. The programme was further enriched by captivating classical dance and vocal music performances presented by artists of National Institute of Kathak Kendra, reflecting the spirit of artistic collaboration among India's national cultural institutions.

The Regional Centre, Bhubaneswar, organised a Watercolour Painting Workshop with the participation of students from leading art institutions and invited retired employees of the Centre.

The Regional Centre, Kolkata, celebrated the occasion with the inauguration of the exhibition "Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram", followed by the felicitation of distinguished senior artists and cultural personalities. The programme highlighted the Centre's continued contribution to promoting visual arts in Eastern India through exhibitions, workshops and outreach initiatives.

The Regional Centre, Chennai hosted a painting demonstration and interactive session by eminent artist and Lalit Kala Akademi's first-batch Research Scholar Shri Bhagvan S. Chavan, who shared his artistic journey and creative insights with artists and students.

The Regional Centre, Lucknow commemorated the Foundation Day with a Lecture and Cultural Evening, featuring a lecture by Prof. Sunil Saxena, followed by a semi-classical vocal recital by Mrs. Vibha Singh and a flute recital by Mr. Atharva Pratap Singh.

The Northeast Regional Centre (NERC), Agartala, organised a Serigraphy (Silk Screen Printing) Workshop, during which studio artists, research scholars and invited artists collectively produced 250 cloth bags bearing the Lalit Kala Akademi logo, demonstrating the traditional printmaking process through hands-on learning.

The Regional Centre, Ahmedabad organised an interactive artists' discussion, providing a platform for meaningful dialogue and exchange of ideas among practising artists.

The Camp Office, Patna marked the occasion with a tree plantation programme involving artists, academicians and officials, while the Camp Office, Shimla conducted a painting workshop for students of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Jakhu Hills, encouraging young minds to engage with the visual arts.

Established in 1954, Lalit Kala Akademi has been at the forefront of promoting and nurturing visual arts in India through national and international exhibitions, artists' camps, workshops, scholarships, publications, documentation, research initiatives and collaborative cultural programmes. The Akademi continues to provide an important platform for artists and remains committed to strengthening India's visual arts ecosystem.

The programme was attended by Shri Aneish P Rajan, Director, Ministry of Culture; Shri Rajeev Kumar, Secretary, Lalit Kala Akademi; eminent artists Shri Mukul Pawar and Shri Rajesh Sharma, along with distinguished artists, scholars, members of the artistic fraternity, officers and staff of the Akademi, pensioners, art enthusiasts and invited guests.

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M Annadurai

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