Kalidas Shrestha

Infobox Celebrity
name = Kalidas Shrestha


caption = Kalidas Shrestha
birth_date = birth date and age|1923|5|23
birth_place = Kathmandu, Nepal
occupation = Artist, Chairman of Kamala Memorial Community Service Center, Founder and former principal of Nepal Fine Arts College
years active= 1936-present
spouse = Late. Kamala Maiya Shrestha (1946 - 1996)
children = Ambika, Bishwo, Rajeshor, Bijay, Rekha, Geeta, Meera
website =
footnotes =

Kalidas Shrestha (born on May 23 1923 in Kathmandu, Nepal) is a prominent Nepali artist, Founder and Chairman of Kamala Memorial Community Service Center, Founder and Former Principal of Nepal Fine Arts College and a Honorable Member Nepal Academy.

Personal life

Shrestha was born at Kathmandu to father Govinda Das Shrestha and mother Mangal Kumari Shrestha. [ [http://www.tourism.gov.np/culture/categories4.htm Kalidas Shrestha (Sculptor)] ] He was married to Kamala Maiya Joshi, daughter of then Sahu Bekhalal Joshi until her death in 1996. Presently, he lives at Nardevi. He has seven children (4 daughters, 3 sons) and many grandchildren. He has also published several books on painting. Besides, he is "Shahitya Bisharat" in Nepal Bhasa (Newari).

Education

Young Kalidas at the early age of 13 had already started teaching when he was still enrolled as a student at the Durbar High School- the first school of Nepal. Listening to the man himself share his experiences was like taking a journey back to the genesis years of Nepalese art history. He obtained primary education from Durbar High School. In the year 1944 he completed Kala Pravin. This was the highest level of art education available in Nepal, he knew to achieve his goals he had to prepare himself to the fullest and for that he went to Mumbai (then Bombay) and in 1957 earned GDA degree from the Sir J.J. School of Arts in Mumbai (1957) under the Colombo Plan.

Biography

In his words " "Nepalese people didn't know much about art, it was just confined only in the walls of Rana's Durbars."” To change this and to make Nepalese people art-literate Prof. Shrestha has played a major role. All appreciated his work and he was often invited to Rana palaces to teach art to the family members of Rana's. In 1960 he started organizing art exhibition and encourages and promotes other Nepalese artists. He also established an art gallery at his home and sold his paintings for 200 to 250 Rupees at that time. An explorer, inventor in nature Shrestha started to paint Nanglo bamboo trays, which became very famous. He was even offered a contract to paint hundred thousand of such Nanglo paintings but the creator refused the offer the reason- “A"rt is created from heart- to make in mass is not creating but manufacturing"”. Soon he was back in his walk to promote Nepalese art and took the initiative to request King Mahendra to open a College of Fine Arts in Nepal. He was involved in its establishment in 1967 and for many years took the charge. He literally contributed his life in the establishment of this college. He personally used to save money and invest in the development of the college. His involvement in the development and welfare of the college took most of his time at times even at the cost of his personal responsibilities. At 1973, he was appointed as the First Campus Chief of the Fine Art Campus. While being Campus Chief in Fine Art Campus, he introduced the importance of Fine Art to the students of other Campus as optional subjects to Padma Kanya Campus, Ratna Rajya Campus, Saraswati Campus] , Public Youth Campus, Patan Campus to produce the qualitative and quantitative students in Art for the seek of development in Art. From early morning till late nights he would be at the college, he had less time for his family and even for himself. "You are not god and you too have to eat"”, his wife Late Kamala Maiya Joshi Shrestha would complain everyday. He smiled and shared that due to his involvement and attachment with the college she even proposed Campus-Das as his new name. 84-year-old Kalidas is content with his achievements; important contemporary artists respect him for his contribution to Nepalese art. But this achievement did not come easy. Even today to entirely submit oneself to art and to make a career out of it is new in present Nepal; to take that step decades ago is worth admiration. It is also obvious that all did not welcome the unconventional step; his parents were also surprised and advised him to change his interest. But young Kalidas followed his heart and achieved all that he wanted on his. “"To excel in art, one needs dedication and discipline"”, believes Shrestha. It is because of his utmost dedication to grow Nepalese art he is now recognized as a living art legend by the art community and the nation's art historians. He has devoted 71 years in nurturing this field. When asked he has any regrets and felt he could have achieved more had he chosen other profession, Kalidas Shrestha with a proud smile expressed that he has no regrets and is very satisfied with all his achievements and feels proud of being a Nepali artist. By now Nepalese art that had gained popularity nationally and internationally, but there was no any further study in this subject in Nepal. And this was Shrestha’s new mission- to open BFA in fine arts in Nepal. For that, he proposed few students who had passed the IFA to be sent to Banaras and Delhi for further training. His aggressiveness was what Nepalese art’s future rested on and he played the part of the rebel to its fullest. He decided to resign from the faculty if his demand was not fulfilled, he expressed, “"If art is the identity of this country the education level of arts should not be limited in Intermediate level"”. His colleague supported him in this to improvise the quality BFA education. It was the need and he said, "If we could establish the BFA education, the prestige of the artist and Nepal remains otherwise it would proved that all the artists and education itself are imprudent." This way BFA was introduced in 1982. His goal for Art education was not fulfilled totally as he wanted to upgrade the art education at the level of MFA. So he made many plans for MFA and submitted to then Dean’s Office, Ministry of Education. He had submitted syllabus for Masters in Art many many times. But his term for Campus Chief was concluded and it is thirty years now that his wish for MFA is not fulfilled. Even today, he is trying hard for that level from outside. In opening ceremony of ‘Lalit Bagaicha’ in Fine Arts Campus recently, he said, he will say ‘"No"’ to the Death, if it comes to him until MFA is opened.He is the Founder and Chairman of Kamala Memorial Community Service Center (KMCSC) and Chairman of Arniko Rastriya Yuwa Sewa Kosh. Many articles had been published about his art in Rolla Daily News as well as national and international news papers. He is honorable member of Nepal Academy, and secretariat of Nepal Kala Samiti. He has travelled in many places of Nepal and in India for the development of Nepalese Arts and was invited in Germanyin 1978. He was invited by Honorable Mayor of Rolla, Missouri, USA, Mr. Joseph Morgan in 2001 AD and did one solo art exhibition in USA. He was also invited in Swedenin 2003 from the President of Sweden Svenesk Unifem Committee, Mrs. Analena Henarikasan and did one solo art exhibition in Sweden in that year.

He is old but his mind is not. Good things are still going on. He is satisfied that the most of the good artists found in our country nowadays have graduated from the College of Fine Arts and many more going to be that he helped to found. It was because of his dedication and aggressiveness Nepalese art is in this stage- he is a rebel with a vision, a pioneer and a proud Nepali artist and a blessing to Nepalese art.

Awards and Recognition

He has been awarded with the prestigious Mahendra Pragya Puraskar and honored by Late King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev Suva-Rajyabhishek Padak 1957, Jaanpad Sewa Padak 1966, Dirgha Sewa Padak, Late King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev Suva-Rajyabhishek Padak 1974, Late King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev Gaddhi Aarohan Padak 1996, Second Prize winner in Nepal Udyog Pradarsani, CashPrize in Third convention (1939) - Prize in Third convention (1943), many national and international medals. [ [http://www.tourism.gov.np/culture/categories4.htm Kalidas Shrestha (Sculptor)] ] Once Shrestha along with artist Uttam Nepali and sculptor Thakur Prasad Mainali, the pillars of Nepali fine arts and toilers in the field for more than five decades, were honoured by Parashu Narayan Chaudhary, Chairman of Rajsabha Standing Committee, at a function organised by Lalitkala Critics’ Society. [ [http://www.nepalnews.com.np/contents/englishdaily/ktmpost/2003/nov/nov11/local.htm Outstanding artists felicitated] ] Shrestha has also received Saraswati Samman 2008 delivered by Lunakarandas Gangadevi Chaudhary Kala Sahitya Mandir on 3rd August 2008.

References