Draft:D.V. Halbhavi

The well known fine artist Shri Danappa Veerabhadrappa Halbhavi (D.V. Halbhavi) is also born in Dharwad on 29th of November 1907. His father Shri Veerbhadrappa Halabhavi was a well known Judge. It was quite natural that he wished Danappa also to get well educated like his other sons, but he did not show any interest in learning in schools ,He always used to scribble and kept doing only drawings. Observing this,his father thought of sending him to Sir J.J.School of Art, Bombay at his proper age as there were no such schools nearby Dharawad at that time.After joining J.J.Schools, though he had some difficulties, during his stay there ,he enjoyed the good company of some of his classmates who studies with him from North Karnataka, like G.S.Dandavatimath from Bailhongal,  M.V.Minajigi, D.G.Badiger ,A.K.Kamadolli, and C.V.Karadagi from Hubli ,T.P.Akki and M.A.Chetti from Gadag and also M.R Acharekar ,A.A.Almelkar ,K.K.Hebbar and others. They studied hard and used to meet at one place in the evenings and discussed about their study, their class works, and also have some entertainments, like singing, playing musical instruments. Danappa had a good voice and was good at singing songs of Marathi dramas likes 'Ekach pyala' and so on. They had very good teachers like Gladstone Soloman fernandes, Dhurandhar, Dhond and others. He was one amongst the students selected for doing paintings on the dome of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. He finished studying the Diploma in Drawing and painting and Art Master Courses with many difficulties which he and his friends faced. He always thought of starting an Art institution at Dharwad soon after completing his studies at Bombay. So after he returned to Dharwad, without wasting any time, he took up the task of establishing the institution, with his father Shri Veerabhadrappa’s help. Keeping the prestigious 'Sir J.J.School of Art ' as the model, the building, it's lighting, furniture for study, office, and others were done. With the same syllabus, the Drawing and Painting Diploma classes were also started. Those were the days when people had the least awareness about painting subject. It was a matter of challenge to Shri D.V Halbhavi and he had to struggle in getting students for the first few years. Though the strength of students increased later, parents were naturally worried about their children’s' employment after their studies. When the Drawing Teachers Certificate (D.T.C) Course was introduced in due course the strength increased considerably as the duration of the course was only one year and they got employment as Drawing Teachers in Schools. The Art Master course was also introduced later. Financial difficulty was always there as the poor students could not pay the class fees, but they had to be admitted to get the strength. The Government of Karnataka grants given was also very meagre .It was not safficient to pay the staff and to maintain the expenditures of the school. In spite of all these difficulties, Shri D.V. Halbhavi invited other eminent artists from other places to give lectures and demonstrations and also organised seminars, camps, and study tours regularly so that the students get more knowledge. Apart from Drawing and Painting classes he introduced music and dance classes also. The school celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 1962 with Padmashree K.K Hebbar as guest, who gave a painting demo. For Shri D.V Halbavi’s 60th Birthday, another noted Artist and Art Director from Bombay Shri M.R Acharekar was invited as guest. Then he gave a beautiful water colour demo of a portrait of Shri D.V Halbhavi as the model. Shri Amberkar had also accompanied him. The Golden Jubilee was celebrated in 1985 and Diamond Jubilee in 1995, bringing out souvenirs with very good articles from distinguished artists and writers. Shri Anand Dev,the then president of the Central Lalit Kala Academy was invited as guest. It was totally a grand celebration with a yearlong programmes as Seminar, Artists Camp etc. The school celebrated the platinum jubilee in the year 2010 in an equally grand manner. His Hon. the then President of India Shri Abdul Kalamji graced the function as the Guest of honour. The school flourished with good staff & management. Smt.Tara Pawar, an ardent student of Shri D.V Halbhavi became a lecturer there and promoted as principal. She worked as his right hand to improve the school in every way. In due course Shri D.V Halbavi’s  son Shri Suresh D. Halbhavi after completing his Diploma course in Commercial Art in Bombay joined the school as Lecturer, later as Principal. His wife Parvati helped him to continue the school in spite of many difficulties. The school after completing 88 years is continuing in the management of the J.S.S.Mahavidyapeetha Mysuru with the blessings of his holiness Shri Shivaratri Swamiji ,Sutturu. Until now thousands of students studied and passed out from this school are well settled in their lives. Somshekhar Sali who served as President Karnataka Lalit Kala Academy, Ravi Paranjape, S.G.Chinnannavar, Murgod brothers who were recognised at National and International level, Tara Pawar , R.B.Kumbar , P.S.Hiremath , V.B .Hiregouder, Suresh Halabhavi , S.S.Patil, J.V.Kammar ,Gayatri Gouder ,B.M.Patil ,as principals of different Art Institution, M.B.Patil, M.R.Balikai , Vimala Sheelvant , R.B.Garag as Artist, many as Lecturers and Art teachers in Schools. Anil Thakkar a reputed dramatist and film actor, Umesh Heranjal a classical dancer, Venkatesh Godkhindi as flute player and Yeshawant Halibandi as singer in A.I.R , Subhas Kadkol, Kartik Shinde as T.V and Cinema Artist,Vittal Koneri and many as reputed photographers who are few to name. Shri D.V Halbhavi also started "Post Diploma Club" for the past students of the school and also other Artists so that they could keep in touch in doing paintings. We can proudly say that Halbhavi's School of Art stood as a model to the other Art Schools which came to be established later in the State. Shri D.V. Halbhavi was appointed as a Member of the Ad-hoc- committee for Art Education in the Karnatak University Dharwad year 1972. He was one of the paper setter and Examiner in Fine Art for B.A. Part 1, 2 and 3.We can proudly say that Halbhavi’s School of Art stood as a model to the other Art Schools which came to be established later in the State. Shri D.V Halbhavi apart from Painting was interested in music, dance, drama and literature. ‘History of Art’ was one of his favourite subjects. He loved teaching to students. He has done hundreds of sketches and paintings on all subjects like pictorial compositions, portraits, life studies, landscapes in many different medias like pencils charcoal, stumping powder, water colour, oil colour pastels etc. He has done pictorial compositions on social and mythological themes, portraits of different kinds of persons in different costumes, Landscapes of different places like Bombay, Kashmir, Dharwad, Badami and Hampi so on. He was very much fond of travelling and also reading. He had maintained a very good Library with a collection of very rare and costly foreign art books, magazines, periodicals etc. Shri D.V Halbhavi wrote a book ‘My Contemporary Artists’ on the lives and paintings of the North Karnataka Artists who studied with him in Bombay. He had an opportunity of going to Ceylon as a teacher Escort arranged by ‘Comex India’ for students of different Universities. After returning he wrote a small book ‘My visit to Ceylon’. He had started a monthly magazine as ‘Art Guild ‘ which was dedicated to art and photography. Thus Shri D.V. Halbhavi worked till his last breath. He breathed his last on 26th December 1997. Considering Shri D.V. Halbhavi’s selfess service in the field of Art, he was honored with many awards like Karnataka Rajyotsava award, Karnataka Lalit kala Academy award and the Prestigious K.Venkatappa award,the highest state award given to artists. As a token of respect the Karnataka Government. Celebrated his Birth Centenary in 2008, and above all the Government has started a National Trust in his name, which is the only National Trust made in the name of an Artist as ‘Chitrashilpi Shri D.V. Halbhavi Rashtreeya Smarak Trust’ in the year 2012. Since then the Trust is organising many Art activities every year which include Artists Camps, Seminars, and Competitions for different levels of students, awards to artists selected at National level. This has benefited many artists and Art students.