President Murmu honours 20 artists with Lalit Kala Akademi National Awards

• President Droupadi Murmu honoured 20 artists with the Lalit Kala Akademi National Awards in New Delhi on September 24.

• The award ceremony also marked the culmination of the 64th National Exhibition of Art at the academy, featuring 283 art works from across the country in disciplines ranging from painting, sculpture, photography, and installation.

• This was also the first time that Lalit Kala Akademi put up the exhibited art works for sale to promote self-reliance among artists and strengthen India’s creative economy. 

Lalit Kala Akademi

• Lalit Kala Akademi is the government’s apex cultural body in the field of visual arts in India.

• It was set up by the government on August 5, 1954 and was registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860, in March 1957. 

• The organisation functions through its General Council, Executive Board and other committees.

• It is an autonomous body, which is fully funded by the Ministry of Culture. It has substantial independence in making decisions related to national and international exhibitions, events and providing financial assistance to artists and art organisations.

• The Akademi is involved in a wide range of activities related to promoting Indian art and artists through programmes and strategic partnerships.

• It aims to foster cultural contacts within the country and also with other countries, through art exhibition, exchange of personal and art objects, etc.

• Its headquarters is situated in New Delhi and has centres in Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Garhi (New Delhi) and sub-centres at Shimla and Patna.

• A major art promotional activity of the Akademi is to provide studios to Indian and international artists who work in various disciplines of art such as sculpture, graphics, ceramics and paintings.