Journey of being Honored with the Padma shri Award - Krishn Kanhai
Journey of being
Honored with the Padma shri Award
In my recent
exhibition– Kalaa Spandan (Mumbai) , I met many Artists, one of them was
Padma shri Krishn Kanhai.
I was very eager to
know about his journey of being an Artist. His art work is mesmerizing
and there is no doubt as he was born and bought up in Krishna’s Nagri –
Vrindavan
Mr Kanhai was born in
1961 in a middle class family, he is blessed with the colorful life, as
his father was a kanyai Artist and was a well known chitrakaar of Vrindavan. He
had earned his name in the world of paintings with all beautiful and
spellbinding paintings of Lord Krishna.
Mr Kanhai’s interest
in the creativity started with the small drawings on black board, his
classmates believed, he has received the creativity from his father as a
blessing. His father owned a shop where they sold showpieces and very creative
Krishna paintings.
His career of being an
Artist started at a very early age, he helped his father in making the
paintings, slowly with the practice he became master in his genre. After
passing class 10th in 1976, his father told him to leave
studies and be a full time Artist, he did, as this was his interest too.
At the age of 16 he
got married and at 20 he had kids, Kanhai says he was burdened with
responsibilities at a very early age and missed fun of the bachelor, carefree
life
The major challenge
for him now was – To make his own identity in the world of paintings (as till
now he was known by his father’s name).
Once on his visit to
Calcutta, he met their acquaintance – Mrs kiran Kharuka,she showed him a book with
lots of images (from Indonesia) and told him to make a 4’*5’ painting,
she told she will not give any advance, if she liked the painting, she will
buy.
Kanhai took this as a
challenge and created a master piece, later Mrs Kiran bought that in Rs10,000/-
and asked him to make another painting worth Rs.5,000/-
This boosted his
confidence and made him believe that he can create anything.
In 90’s he thought,
how will he earn his name?
He started to pick up
a complete different style other than his father. He started painting village scenes, 2007 he experimented with Fusion and Portraits.
He conducted many solo
National level exhibitions. 21 March 2003, he met Atalji (Prime Minister,
India) and gifted him his Potrait.
In another meeting with Atalji, he asked “Where he hung the potrait”
In another meeting with Atalji, he asked “Where he hung the potrait”
Atalji replied – “visit my office, I will let u know”
He visited
Potrait was hung just
outside Atalji's cabin, in the waiting room, Atalji complimented him saying – "Sometimes I get confused and think who is the real me?"
30Jan 1999, he
exhibited in PM’s house.
2000 he gifted a
painting to Bill Clinton
For all his dedication
and Hard work, he was awarded Padma shri in 2004, his father had earned the
same title in 2000.
Thank you Sir, for
sharing few moments of your life with me J
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