Gives Credit to His Mentor Ms. Sampa Ray for the Milestone Achieved
Port Blair, June 12: Akash Biswas, a talented young artist from Andaman & Nicobar Islands has been selected for National Award for his art works on Andaman by the prestigious Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi. The award will be conferred to Akash soon, very likely by the Hon’ble President of India.
Akash hails from the remote Diglipur in the North of Andaman and had completed his senior secondary from GSSS Diglipur. He gives the credit to his teacher and mentor Ms Sampa Ray, who still remains as his source of inspiration and encouragement.
Explaining his journey as a young school student to the winner of the prestigious Lalit Kala Academy Award winner, Akash in an interview with Andaman Chronicle explained; “I am a proud resident of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which is not only a small island but also one of the most beautiful in India. I come from a small place called Diglipur. In 2014, I completed my education from Senior Secondary School in Diglipur”.
“During my time in Class XI, I had the opportunity to meet a remarkable teacher and mentor named Shampa Ray. As I pursued fine arts subjects in school, she inspired me greatly. My mam (Shampa Ray), who has always been creative since her own school days, silently passed on her skills to her students, although only a few people are aware of this. Shampa Ray mam is truly a pride of Andaman, being a General Council Member of the Lalit Kala Academy in New Delhi. She is the first female GC from our island and the second representative overall. Her dedication to Andaman has had a profound impact on me, and I am honored to hail from the same place. And Another remarkable aspect is that my mentor specializes in sculpture, making her the only female sculptor on our island. This creates a unique and historic bond between me and my mentor. Together, we have forged a path that will be remembered in the history of our island.
“Realizing my passion for fine arts, I made the decision to move from Andaman to Calcutta. Unfortunately, there were no colleges offering fine arts in Andaman, so I sought Shampa Ray's advice and ventured out to study. I completed my bachelor's degree from Bengal Fine Art College, which was affiliated with Indra Kala Sangeet University in Khairagarh. Subsequently, I obtained my master's degree in painting from Rabindra Bharathi University in Kolkata, graduating in 2022.
“As an artist representing my homeland, I am filled with immense pride. However, Andaman lacks a dedicated painting studio, so currently, I am refining my artistic skills in Lucknow”, said the young national award winner.
“I have also started creating paintings that depict the beauty of the Andamans. In 2022, I was fortunate to receive a scholarship for my work on the subject of Andaman, and I am currently continuing to explore this concept.
“I was overwhelmed when I got the wonderful news that few artists have the privilege of experiencing—I have been honored with a national award by the Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi. representing Andaman. This recognition reaffirms my dedication to the field of art and my ability to showcase the essence of Andaman through my work”, the young Island Artists Akash expressed.
The National Exhibition of Art is the most prestigious annual event of the Lalit Kala Akademi. Begun in 1955, it is directed towards showcasing and representing visual advances in the year. Through the years the National Exhibition has evolved, keeping abreast of developments and alterations along the years.