Kailash Chandra Meher (born 22 January 1954) is an Indian artist, inventor, and social activist. He is a painter of contemporary modern art paintings and traditional Tussar Pattachitra paintings of Odisha. He was a recipient of the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2013.[1]

Kailash Chandra Meher
Born (1954-01-22) 22 January 1954 (age 70)
CitizenshipIndian
EducationDegree (Art)
Alma materVisva-Bharati University
OccupationArtist
SpouseLaxmi Meher
ChildrenPrakash Meher, Manisha Meher & Jayanta Meher
RelativesSadhu Meher (Uncle)[1]

Personal life and education

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Meher was born in an artist family in Sonepur town of Odisha state. He studied at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan[2] and received a Diploma in Fine Arts from the Visva-Bharati University, Shantiniketan in West Bengal.[2] He was trained in the art of Pattachitra painting initially by his father and subsequently under guidance of Bhagwat Maharana.[2]

His wife Smt. Laxmi Meher and daughter Manisha jointly received National award in 2005.[3] Smt Meher had also received state award in 1990 while daughter Manisha got two state awards in 2001–2002. Both his sons Prakash and Jayanta got National Award in 2001.[4]

Career

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Meher worked as an art designer in the Weavers Service Centre in Bhubaneswar, Govt. Of India, under Development Commissioner Handloom, New Delhi from 1978 to 1993 creating textile designs for weavers and weaving organisations,[1] and developed some old Bomkai designs, which were developed into a product called "Bomkai Sari".

Meher creates new designs, techniques with research and experiments, aiming for better market promotion in India and abroad. His tree paintings were presented as an example for the Shilp Guru award.[5] Because of his excellent work in paintings, many more students and followers got National Award and also thousands of artisan families survive their livelihood by following his innovative creative designs & paintings for their bread & butter.

 
Kailash Ch. Meher while on work at his studio in the year 2016.

For the poorest girls & women of KBK district, he has started many social organisations with the help and support of The Collector (District Magistrate) for giving them training & employment, so he started some Handloom, Handicraft & Fine Art organisation like :- 1. Indian Art & Craft Academy for Women 2. Indira Gandhi Women Weavers Co-operative Society limited 3. Bharatiya Hastakala Industrial Co-operative Society Limited 4. Handicraft & Handloom Museum and Service Centre for Women.[6][7][8][9]

Awards

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  • 1979 & 1985 – Orissa Lalit Kala Academy Award[10]
  • 1986 – "National Award" by HE the President of India[11]
  • 1997 – Viswakarma Award[citation needed][12]
  • 1991 & 2001 – "Kalamani" Award by Chief Minister of Haryana[citation needed]
  • 2005 – UNESCO CCI seal of excellence for handicrafts[13]
  • 2009 – Shilp Guru Award by HE the President of India[5]
  • 2013 – Padma Shri Award by Govt. of India[14][15][16]
  • 2013 – "Odisha Living Legend Award" by Odisha Diary[17][18]

Selected paintings

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Brush with Tradition". Orissa Post. 3 February 2013. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "Stylistic Choices works by : – Press Release". Nature Morte. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  3. ^ National Awardees of Handicrafts Sector for the Year 2005 Archived 2 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "49 MASTER CRAFTSPERSONS AND WEAVERS." pib.nic.in. 2003. Retrieved 13 February 2013. Shri Prakash Kumar Meher & Shri Jayanta Kumar Meher
  5. ^ a b "Shilp Guru Awards (Handicrafts) Year 2009" (PDF). President of India. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  6. ^ "Profile « Kailash Meher". Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  7. ^ Biography of Kailash Chandra Meher, Bolangir Odisha [user-generated source]
  8. ^ "Padma Shri Kailash Chandra Meher received Odisha Living Legend Award, Odisha Current News, Odisha Latest Headlines". Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  9. ^ "Ministry of Information & Broadcasting: Padma Awards:Photo Gallery". 5 April 2013.
  10. ^ "Odisha Lalita Kala Academy Award Winners" (PDF). Government of Odisha. 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  11. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ^ File:Viswakarma Award 1997.jpg
  13. ^ "UNESCO CCI seal of excellence for handicrafts" (PDF). UNESCO. 2005. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  14. ^ "Ministry of Information & Broadcasting: Padma Awards:Photo Gallery". Ministry of Information and Broadcasting New Media blog. blogspot.com. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  15. ^ "Press Note" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs (India). Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  16. ^ "Four eminent personalities from Odisha received Padma honours". Odisha Diary. 5 April 2013. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  17. ^ "OdishaDiary announces prestigious Odisha Living Legend Awards 2013". Odisha Diary. 27 October 2013. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  18. ^ "Padma Shri Kailash Chandra Meher received Odisha Living Legend Award". Odisha Diary. 29 November 2013. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
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