“I hope the Kasthamandap Art Studio lives forever,” said Gauri Narayan Shreshta, an emotional father of Prashanta Shrestha, at the Prashanta Prativa Chatravriti ceremony held at Srijana College of Fine Arts, Uttardhoka Kathmandu, on Friday.

Prashanta Prativa Chatravriti, put together by Prashanta Memorial Society is a yearly award distribution ceremony where students under the Fine Arts category from Tribhuwan University (TU) are felicitated and provided with monetary as well as painting materialas the scholarships.

The scholarship is devoted to Prashanta Shrestha, a young artist who passed away at the tender age of 31. The scholarship distribution that began in 2003 has included students from Kathmandu University (KU) for the first time this year.

Mangal Bir Lama from Tribhuwan University and Surendra Maharjan from Lalit Kala Campus, (Fine Arts Campus) received the scholarship at the Intermediate and Graduate level respectively. From Kathmandu University, Centre for Art and Design, Gauravmani Tripathi received the Graduate level scholarship.

Excited about his achievement Mangal said, “This is a huge achievement, it will inspire me to do better.”

An equally thrilled Surendra informed that the scholarship had put tremendous responsibility on his shoulders. “I will do my best to make full use of this award,” he added.

The scholarship consisted of Rs. 10,000 for the Intermediate and Rs. 15,000 for the Graduate level.



The function further inaugurated the art exhibition of previous year’s scholarship winners Arpita Shakya and Kuldip Jang Bahadur Gurung.

While Arpita displayed ten paintings collected over the course of a year, Kuldip had seven paintings on display.

“My collection discusses the various facets in the life of a woman,” smiled Arpita adding “I talk of suppression, liberation boldness and desire.”

Kuldip on the other hand discussed existence as the dominant theme.

source:republica, 11 September 2011