User:Sujoymunshi/sandbox

Selim Munshi -

BORN  IN  1938   IN   A   RESPECTABLE    MUSLIM   FAMILY   AT    HARIPUR   VILLAGE,   NEAR   BOLPUR ( SANTINIKETAN )   IN   THE      DISTRICT   OF   BIRBHUM,   WEST-BENGAL,   INDIA. THE  VILLAGE  RUINED  BY  FLOOD   OF   THE   AJOY– RIVER   ON   SEPTEMBER  27, 1978. AT  THE   INITIATIVE   OF   THE   RESPECTED   BHUTNATH   PAL ( THE   DRAWING  TEACHER OF  MY   SCHOOL   LIFE,   BOLPUR ),   ADITI   DEBI   OF   TAGORE  FAMILY  LED  ME   TO  ACHARYA   NANDALAL   BOSE   ON   25.4.1956   IN   HIS  RESIDENCE   AT  SRIPALLI. ON HIS ADVICE   AND   EAGERNESS  MY   FATHER   PERMITTED   ME   TO   GET   ADMISSION   INTO KALA-BHAVANA. ACHARYA NANDALAL  BOSE  SENT  A  LETTER  DATED  APRIL  28,  1956  BY  POST  IN  THIS  RESPECT. DIPLOMA IN   FINE   ARTS   AND   CRAFTS   FROM    KALA-BHAVANA  ( INSTITUTION   OF   FINE   ARTS   OF  CRAFTS )  VISVA-BHARATI  IN   1960. DIPLOMA IN   FINE  ARTS   FROM  THE   GOVT. COLLEGE  OF   ART  AND   CRAFT,  CALCUTTA   IN  1963. TWELVE  TIMES  SOLO  EXHIBITION  HELD  AT  SANTINIKETAN  AND   IN   VARIOUS   INDIAN CITIES. AN  EXHIBITION  OF  63  PAINTINGS   AND  SCULPTURES  “ ON  AND   AROUND SANTINIKETAN ”  ON   THE   OCCASION   OF  THE   PLATINUM   JUBILEE   CELEBRATION  OF VISVA-BHARATI   WAS   HELD   AT   RABINDRA-BHAVANA   GALLERY   FORM   AUGUST   7, 1996   TO   AUGUST  19,  1996. INVITED  FOR   THE   ABOVE   EXHIBITION   FOR   THREE   DAYS   FROM    AUGUST  30,  1996  FROM   THE   “ SOCIETY   OF   INTER   CULTURE   MULTI   ETHENIC   RELATIONS ”   IN BERLIN,  GERMANY. AN  EXHIBITION   OF   55   PAINTINGS  AT   PARLIAMENT   HOUSE   ANNEXE,   NEW   DELHI   FROM    DECEMBER   10, 1996   TO DECEMBER  12, 1996   ON   THE   OCCASION    OF    THE   PLATINUM   JUBILEE  CELEBRATION  OF   VISVA-BHARATI,  THE   EXHIBITION  WAS   INAUGURATED   BY   SRI   P.A.  SANGMA,  THE HON’BLE   SPEAKER,  LOK  SABHA,   NEW DELHI. THE  PROGRAMME   HAS   BEEN   TELECAST ON   TELEVISION   IN   THE   NATIONAL   PROGRAMME   ON   DECEMBER 24,  1996  AND  ALSO FROM  CALCUTTA   DOORDARSHAN  ON   DECEMBER  10  &  22,  1996.

TWO  WOOD   RELIEFS   AND   ONE   SCULPTURE    BY   PLASTER  OF   PARIS   ‘ THE   LADY ’    WERE   EXHIBITED   ONE   AFTER    ANOTHER   AT   THE  CHAITYA   SHOW-CASE   IN   1958   AT SANTINIKETAN FIVE  AWARDS   FROM   THE   ALL   INDIA   ART   COMPETITION   AND   TWO   FROM   WEST - BENGAL    COMPETITION   AND   BESIDES   THESE   HAS   OWN   QUITE   A   NUMBER   OF PRIZES. MANY  COMMISSIONED   WORK   OF   PAINTING   AND    SCULPTURE    INSTALLED. WORKS COLLECTION  BY   THE   PRIVATES,   GALLERIES   AND   INSTITUTIONS   IN  INDIA  AND ABROAD. WORKS  HAVE   BEEN   PUBLISHED   IN   QUITE   A   NUMBER   OF    MAGAZINES,  BOOKS   AND   NEWS   PAPERS   ETC. THE  WORKS  HAVE   BEEN   HIGHLY   APPRECIATED   BY   THE GREAT    PERSONALITIES,   THE PRESS,  RADIO   AND   THE   TELEVISION.

A  DOCUMENTARY    TITLED   “ SELIM MUNSHI — ARTIST   AND   THE   MAN ”   HAS   BEEN  TELECAST   ON    TELEVISION    ON    FEBRUARY  26,  1997  FOR   TWENTY   TWO   MINUTES  FROM     6.30    P.M.   FROM   THE   “ DOORDARSHAN ”   CALCUTTA,   BOTH    THE   CHANNEL   NO.    DD–I   &   DD–7   ON   THE   OCCASION   OF   THE    EXHIBITION   AT   RABINDRA   BHAVANA   OF   THE   PLATINUM   JUBILEE   CELEBRATION   OF   VISVA-BHARATI   AND   TWO OTHERS    DOCUMENTARY   ON   ME    AND   MY   WORKS   HAS   BEEN   TELECAST   ON TELEVISION “ KOLKATA  DOORDARSHAN ”   AND  ON  “ BANGLA   EKHAN ”   CHANNEL, KOLKATA   IN   MANY   DAYS. RABINDRANATH  TAGORE’S   SON   RATHINDRANATH   AND   HIS   DAUGHTER - IN - LAW  PRATIMA   DEVI   LOVED    ME   VERY   MUCH. PRATIMA   DEVI   WAS   PRESENT   IN   MY   FIRST   SOLO   EXHIBITION AT THE OPENING CEREMONY AND THE OTHER DAY    ( FEBRUARY   21    &   24,   1966 )   AT   SANTINIKETAN   IN   THE OLD   CO-OPERATIVE    BUILDING    AND   ALSO   IN   MY   SECOND    EXHIBITION    (FEB.  17, 1967)   IN   THE   NEW    BUILDING   OF   PRAK – KUTIR   ( NOW   SAMINDRA    SHISHU  PATHAGAR ). HE WAS FORTUNATE   ENOUGH   TO   HAVE   THEIR    BLESSINGS. IN  THE   HALL   OF   HIS   FIRST   SOLO   EXHIBITION,   PRATIMA   DEVI   PUT   HER   HAND   ON HIS   HEAD   AND   SAID   ON   FEBRUARY   24,   1966,   “YOU   ARE    VERY    MUCH   BELOVED  TO   ADITI    AND   TO   US,   DON’T   GO   ELSEWHERE   LEAVING   MY   BABA - MASHAI’S   ASHRAM. YOU  WILL   BE   FULLY   ESTABLISHED   HERE”. SO,   AFTER   HER   BLESSINGS,  HE  MOVED   NO   WHERE   DESPITE    SEVERAL   OPPORTUNITIES   IN   INDIA    AND    ABROAD.

CONTACT  AND   APPRECIATION   — DR. L.P. SIHARE,   THE   THEN    DIRECTOR   OF   THE   NATIONAL   GALLERY   OF  MODERN ART,   NEW DELHI;   TOOK   KEEN   INTEREST   IN   THE   PHOTOGRAPHS    AND   SLIDES   OF MY   PAINTINGS    FOR   PRESERVING    THEM   ON   THE   GALLERY   IN  1974.

IN  FEBRUARY   1978,   HE WAS   INVITED    BY   THE   LALIT   KALA   AKADEMI   FOR   A   ONE-MAN   SHOW   AT   THE   KALA-MELA,   NEW   DELHI.

HIS  WORKS   HAVE   BEEN   HIGHLY   APPRECIATED   BY    ACHARYA   NANDALAL   BOSE, PRATIMA   TAGORE   ( DAUGHTER-IN-LAW   OF   RABINDRANATH   TAGORE ),   O.C.   GANGULY,   NATIONAL   PROFESSOR    SUNITI   KUMAR   CHATTERJEE,   NATIONAL PROFESSOR   SATYENDRANATH   BOSE,   PROF. RADHAKAMAL  MUKHERJEE,   GOPAL HALDER,   DHIRENDRA   KRISHNA   DEB   BARMAN,   GOURI   BHANJA,   LADY   RANU MOOKHERJEE,  SUNIL   PAL,   SREEDHAR   MAHAPATRA,   RADHA   CHARAN   BAGCHI,  RATHIN    MAITRA,    HAREN    DAS,    PULIN    BEHARI   SEN, N.   KRISHNA   REDDY,   AMITA  SEN   ( DAUGHTER   OF   ACHARYA   KSHTIMOHAN   SEN ),   ANIL   CHAND   AND   RANI   CHAND, BIRENDRA  &  KANIKA  BANERJEE,   AMITAVA   CHOWDHURY,   AND   MANY   OTHER   DISTINGUISHED   PERSONS   AS WELL   AS   THE   MEDIA :   THE   PRESS,   ALL   INDIA   RADIO   AND   THE   TELEVISSION. ALSO  IN   MY   LONG  CAREER  AS  AN   ARTIST   I  CAME   IN   CLOSE   CONTACT    WITH MANY    RENOWNED   PERSONALITIES. ONLY  A    FEW   OF    THEM   LIKE   DR. RAJENDRA  PROSAD,   PANDIT   JAWAHARLAL   NEHRU, PADMAJA   NAIDU,  L. K.  ELMHERST,  LAL   BAHADUR   SHASTRI,  DR. JAKIR  HOSSAIN,   PROF. HUMAYUN   KABIR   AND   MANY   OTHER   M.L.A.,   M.P.   MINISTER. DR. MULK  RAJ   ANAND,   DR. NISHITH  RANJAN   ROY,   SUDHIR   KHASTAGIR,   GOPAL  GHOSH,  JAMINI   ROY,   SATYEN GHOSAL,   KISHORI    ROY,   KALIPADA   PATHAK,   JUSTICE   S.A.   MASUD,   V.A.   JHARKOV, FORMER    CONSUL   GENERAL   OF   SOVIET   UNION   IN   CALCUTTA   IN   1967, INDIRA   DEBI   CHOWDHURANI,   RATHINDRANATH    TAGORE,    ACHARYA   KSHTIMOHAN SEN,  SURENDRANATH   KAR,  SANTOSH   CHANDRA   MITRA,   SUDHAKANTA    ROY   CHOWDHURY, SUDHI   RANJAN   DAS,   FORMER   CHIEF   JUSTICE   OF   INDIA    AND   THE   VICE - CHANCELLER    OF   VISVA-BHARATI,   SANTIDEV GHOSH,   SAGARMOY   GHOSH, NITYANANDABINODE   GOSWAMI   AND    MANY   OTHERS.

ALONG  WITH   HIS READERSHIP   IN   KALA - BHAVANA,   I   WAS   SIMULTANEOUSLY   APPOINTED   CO - ORDINATOR   IN   JUNE   1989   THE   POST  FIRST   STARTED   FROM   THAT TIME. HE  YIELDED   FREE    SERVICE. LATER  ON,   THE   POST   IS   THAT   OF   THE  VICE-PRINCIPAL (CAMPUS). HONEST  LIVING   IN   SANTINIKETAN   ASHRAM   AND   TRUTHFULNESS   TO   TAGOREAN   IDEALS   ARE   THE   OBJECTIVES   OF   HIS   LIFE. THIS  CAUSED   HIM   MUCH   TROUBLE,  INJUSTICE   AND   IRREPARABLE   INJURY   TO   HIS   PERSONAL   AND   ARTISTIC   LIFE   AS WELL   AS   TO  HIS   CAREER   AT   THE   VISVA-BHARATI. SERVICE —  ADHYAPAKA    FROM    FEBRUARY   17,  1964   TO   JUNE  06,  2003   AT    PATHA-BHAVANA ( MODELLING )  AND    KALA-BHAVANA  ( PAINTING ). RETIRED AS   A  PROFESSOR    OF   PAINTING. TOTAL   SERVICE   PERIOD   IS   39   YEARS   03   MONTHS   19  DAYS.