Devotion to ecology: Artists feted for telling India’s diverse tales

“Jis se ho har roz Diwali, aisa diya dila do Ram, diya tale andhere ko bhi, ab ki baar jala do Ram”. These lines, recited by artist Anand Narain, capture the devotion and vision behind his celebrated painting “Kan Kan Mein Hai Ram, Ayodhya”.

Narain, alongside artists Tapati Bhowmik Majumdar from Tripura and Skarma Sonam Tashi from Ladakh, were among the 20 artists honoured at the 64th National Exhibition of Art, organised by the Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi.

The exhibition, a prestigious platform since 1955, recognises excellence across diverse visual art forms — painting, sculpture, graphics, textile art and photography — while encouraging cultural dialogue and supporting the professional growth of artists.

For Anand Narain, who is also a poet and teacher, recognition for his oil painting is a testament to both technical mastery and cultural reflection. Inspired by the historic events of 2024, when a centuries-old dispute reached closure, Narain’s painting embodies a universal vision of Ram. “There were debates everywhere — Whose Ram? But I felt Ram belongs to everyone. That’s how the title came to me,” he explains.

Originally from Barabanki, Narain has lived in Delhi-NCR for over three decades. He completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Lucknow and Master’s at Jamia Millia Islamia, training rigorously in multiple mediums. “This was not self-taught work where people don’t even know how to use materials,” he says firmly. “We were trained in every medium.”

Narain is also candid about the state of contemporary art. “Today, people want instant results, like instant coffee. So they choose acrylics. Many work in mixed media — using bits of everything without mastering any single medium. To me, this shows a lack of confidence,” he observes. He criticises the growing overlap between fine art and craft.

On awards and recognition, Narain stresses that consistency and hard work matter more than momentary fame. “Every year, about 20 national awards are given. But if you look at the last 15 years, how many awardees are still actively working in the field? Many received recognition but only a few continue as artists.”

Tapati Bhowmik Majumdar roots her work deeply in Tripura’s layered cultural identity. Her award-winning series “Re-Bhoomi” (Land of the people of Tripura) integrates Bengali traditions of alpana —ritual floor designs used in worship — with Tripura’s indigenous weaving and textile practices. Growing up in a family of artists, she was immersed in creativity from an early age.

“My father was an artist, and my grandfather even had a permanent stage at his house where monthly performances would be held. Being surrounded by this environment, I decided as early as Class 8 that I wanted to become a painter,” she recalls.

Tapati pursued formal training at Tripura Art College and continues to anchor her artistic practice in her home state. “Tripura is a land of mixed culture,” she explains.

“Bengali communities brought their traditions of worship and making alpanas, while the people of Tripura have their own rich traditions of weaving and textiles. I try to bring these cultures together in my paintings,” she said.

The title of her ongoing body of work, “Re-Bhoomi”, reflects both material and identity: “Re means cloth, and the people of Tripura are called ‘Re’. ‘Bhoomi’ means land. So Re-Bhoomi means the ‘land of the people of Tripura’. All my paintings explore this theme.”

Beyond creating art, Tapati has also focused on community empowerment. After graduating in 1992, she chose not to pursue a conventional career path, instead opening a boutique where her paintings were transformed into wearable art. At its peak, the boutique employed 32 women, offering them financial independence and an opportunity to engage with creative work.

From the mountains of Ladakh, Skarma Sonam Tashi brings environmental consciousness into his art. His award-winning series “My Homeland 3” depicts Ladakh’s architecture and landscapes using only natural pigments sourced from the region. “Because Ladakh has a very sensitive ecology, I wanted to work with materials from the land itself,” he says. A school workshop first exposed him to fine art, which led to professional training and a practice that bridges cultural memory, ecology and local heritage.

At the ceremony, President Droupadi Murmu underlined that artists invest their time, energy and resources to create art. Fair prices for their artworks will encourage the artists and also those who wish to pursue art as a profession.