Prof. Kalpathi Ganpathi


About Me:

  • Name:

    Prof. Kalpathi Ganpathi

  • Category:

    Civilian Award

  • Award:

    Padma Shri (1975), Padma Vibhushan (2012), Padma Bhushan (2006), Medallion of Honourable Mention, Sao Paulo Biennale (1963), National Award, Lalit Kala Akademi (1965), Gold Medal, The First International Triennale (1968), Gagan-Aban Puraskar (1991), D.Litt. (Honoris Causa) (1992), Dishikottam (2009), D.Litt. (Honoris Causa) (2011),Dhirubhai Thakar Savyasachi Saraswat Award (2015).

  • Area:

    Painter, Sculptor, Muralist, Printmaker, Writer, Academic

Details:

Education: 1955-56 British Council Research Fellowship to Slade School of Art, University of London, 1944-48 Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan, 1942-43 B.A.(Hons.) in Economics., Presidency College, Chennai.

Biography:  Born in Kerala on 15 February 1924, he was one of the leading artists who was part of India’s post-Independence search for identity through art. He was a modern artist working with a large body of influences, from folklore to mythologies and via the history of Indian art itself. He worked  with figurative painting and was an eminent artist and art historian who won the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan.

From 1951 to 59 Mr. Subramanyan was the Lecturer in Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda.

He was the British Council Research Scholar, UK from 1955–56.

He was Deputy Director (design), All India Handloom Board, Bombay from 1959 to 61 and Reader in Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda from 1961 to 65.

1966–80 Professor of Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda
1961–66 Design Consultant, All India
1966–67 Fellowship of The JDR III Fund, New York
1968–74 Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda
1975 Elected to the World Crafts Council
Delegate, Asian Assembly, World Craft Council, Sydney
1976 Member delegate, General Assembly, World Craft Council, Oaxtepec, Mexico
Visiting lecturer, Canadian universities: Montreal, Ottawa, Hamilton
1977–78 Visiting Fellow, Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan
1980–89 Professor of Painting, Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan
1985 Guest, Chinese Artists Association, China
1987–88 Christensen Fellow, St. Catherine’s College, Oxford
1989 Professor Emeritus, Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan
2004 Left Santiniketan and shifted back to Baroda in September.
A career spanning nearly seven decades saw a vast spectrum of mediums from painting to pottery, weaving, and glass painting.

K. G. Subramanyan passed away on 29 June 2016 at the age of 92.