Delhi : Beginning this month, Shri Anand Narain was honoured with the National Award in the 64th National Art Exhibition organised by Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi and Ministry of Culture, Government of India. He was honoured on August 5, 2025 by Minister of Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at the inaugural ceremony of the National Exhibition, accompanied by Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Government of India Shri Vivek Agarwal, Additional Secretary Ms. Amita Prasad Sarabhai, and Vice President of Lalit Kala Akademi Dr. Nandlal Thakur. There were 5922 applicants in the National Art Exhibition, out of which 283 works were selected, in which 20 artists from across the country were honoured in various genres such as painting, sculpture, drawing, graphic, photography and mixed media.
Mr. Narain has been awarded for the year 2024 from Uttar Pradesh for his painting ‘Kan-Kan Mein Hain Ram’. This work depicts the grandeur of the spiritual city of Ayodhya. Overwhelmed by cultural values,he has a vision of seeing things holistically, away from individualistic thoughts, which makes him different from others. A noteworthy contribution of the integration of art and literature in Mr. Narain’s inner self is that poetry can be seen and heard peeping in his artworks and in the same way, the diversity, attraction and brightness like the colors contained in the vocabulary of pictorial scenery in his poetic lines and expressions can also be seen in many forms and levels. Talking of his initial thought behind the award winning painting, Mr. Narain mesmerizes by reciting his own two lines
– “जिस से हो हर रोज दिवाली, ऐसा दिया दिला दो राम
दिया तले अंधेरे को भी अबकी बार जला दो राम” – आनन्द नारायण
He is an artist who is known for his experiments, creative diversity and innovation in the field of contemporary Indian art. He completed his graduation (B.F.A) from College of ArtLucknow and post graduation (M.F.A) from Jamia Millia Islamia New Delhi. Mr. Narain has had a long journey as a painter so far. As a result of the movement of subjects, his paintings got expanded by participating in more than fifty group painting exhibitions at the state, national and international level. His stylistic identity got established. So far, fourteen solo exhibitions have been organized in the prestigious art galleries of the metropolis. Both art and artist got recognition from the series of paintings in special exhibitions. He has also been honoured by the UP State LalitKala Akademi Award amongst many others.
The series’ of his paintings titled “Banaras” and “Untouched Nature” depict the expanse of Indian plains, settlements on the banks of rivers, or rivers making barren land fertile, bridges and culverts to cross them, forests that nourish life, the factors of myths embedded in the Indian psyche, a man living with self-respect, taking pride of being a pure Indian amidst culture and traditions – all these together give shape and concerns to his series of paintings. Whether it is Anand’s “Spiritual Heritage Banaras” series or his award winning work ‘Kan-KanMein Hain Ram’, they are evidence of twenty-first century India. It has become rare today for an artist to be in his time, to express himself with his cultural metaphors. In such a situation, Anand Narain’s pure Indian mind sees India in its ‘self’, historical images marking the country and time, the effort to preserve Indian symbols amidst all this is at an artistic peak, it is no less than an achievement. The National Art Exhibition will run till 15 September 2025.