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Satish Gujral, an invaluable pearl of the Indian art
world
by Vibha
Dham
New
Delhi: He is today a popular face in the Indian
art circles and described to be a living legend. Painter,
sculptor, muralist, architect and writer, Satish has
been exceptional in whatever form of creative expression
he has adopted. At the age of eight, a sickness terminally
impaired his hearing, but his determination and strong
will led him to become a renowned artist. Born in
Jhelum (Pakistan) in 1925 in pre-partition west Punjab,
Satish Gujral is one of the few people who have continued
to shine as a pearl in the Indian art circles in the
post-independence era. He is today an inspiration
to everyone. "I was eight-year-old when because of
an accident I was rendered bedridden. In the span
of next six years I underwent a series of surgeries.
And, till I turned 14, I was unable to walk. It was
during this time that I lost my power of hearing.
It was because of this disability that communication
with the external world became almost impossible.
Asked
about his family support in this initial years and
its contribution to his making of an artist in him,
Satish said: "My father helped me during this time
by getting me a lot of books to read. I had my education
for just three years and the only language I could
read was Urdu. However, for six years I studied many
Urdu and Punjabi poets, writers and history. When
I was 14 and regained the ability to walk, my father
realized that I could not attend schools meant for
normal kids because of my hearing impairment." He
recounted how once during the course of his illness,
Satish's father observed that he would often draw
or scribble. So the father thought that painting could
be a good alternative, as it did not require Satish
too much hearing. "I was taken to Lahore and admitted
in an art school and that's how I entered the field
of painting," he informed. "My major contributions
have been in the fields of painting, sculpture and
architecture. So people find it weird that how can
I do architecture being a painter. But for me all
the three things are a way to express form, so as
an artist I can draw, paint, construct and sculpt
in order to express myself," said Satish Gujral. Satish
turns philosophical while saying: "Nobody' desires
can be completely fulfilled in one's lifetime. Whenever
I finish a painting I feel that I could have said
a lot more through it. I am always looking forward
to what more can I say in the next work of art." The
Belgium Embassy building, conceived by him in New
Delhi, has been selected by the international Forum
of architects as one of the one thousand best built
in the 20th century round the world. The Government
of India honoured him with the second highest National
Award, "Padma Vibhushan".
-
Sep 19, 2008
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