Two artists, one mission – enlightenment.

The inaugural ceremony of Vishwa Sahni and Sonu Gupta's solo art shows, saw actor Ranvir Shorey, enterprenuer and art enthusiast Parvez Damania, Ashok Dhamankar, Director - Magna Publishing Co. Ltd. and many other artists of the likes of Prithvi Soni, Madhusudan Kumar and Paramesh Paul and singer Mudasir Ali. 

 Veteran artist Vishwa Sahni, in his 35th show, seeks to explore what is the need of the hour -- women empowerment, using light as the medium. Alongside him is young Sonu Gupta who brings to life on canvas, the blessed lotus. “The lotus blooms in the muck, yet is sought ater. It teaches us that we are all blessed,” avers Sonu who has depicted Buddha as well.

    Vishwa who use light to display the emotions says, "In the equation of economics and hunger, women become a dispensable commodity. My works seek to find that light within us, casting aside the shadows."

"The 54 statues that we are installing at the Philosopher Saint Shri Dyaneshwara World Peace Prayer Hall signify the union of science, philosophy and spiritualty and the essence of Indian culture, traditions and philosophy to establish a Culture of Peace." Dr Vishwanath Karad.

Scientists, Saints and Philosophers converge at Vishwarajbaug near Pune to herald World Peace Monument!

Circa 1958, Young Vishwanath rode his bicycle with glee, purchased at a princely sum of Rs. 159. The bicycle was nothing less than a Mercedes for the son of an ordinary farmer hailing from Rameshwar-Rui Village in Marathwada, rural Maharashtra. His makeshift classroom was in the tabela (cattle shed) that the boy along with his classmates, swept and cleaned while the cattle were taken for grazing in the jungle.

Cut to today, “The only school bell I knew was the bell around the neck of the cattle as they returned back signifying end of school,” recollects septuagenarian and veteran educationist Dr. Vishwanath Karad. He is also the Founder President & Director General, World Peace Centre (Alandi), MAEER’s MIT, Pune and MIT World Peace University, one of the most prestigious educational institutions of the country. 

Dr. Vishwanath Karad with Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar.

It is indeed an amazing moment for Dr. Karad who has, since 2005 -- over the last 13 years, painstakingly created Philosopher Saint Shri Dnyaneshwara World Peace Prayer Hall and Library.  Both will be housed in a 62,500 sq. ft. magnificent monument at the Vishwarajbaug Campus of MIT under the world’s largest dome with a diameter of 160 feet, standing tall over the Vatican Dome, which has a diameter of 139.6 feet. The height of the dome at its apex is 263 feet. Dr. Karad is humility personified, attributing his success to Saint Dnyaneshwara’s blessing. “The world is one family, वसुधैव कुटुंबकम”, which is an ancient Indian concept, he says, “my humble attempt is to create an edifice befitting the glory of Mother India.”

Set in the backdrop of late world renowned actor Raj Kapoor’s heritage farm and memorial, now housing MIT, Karad’s brainchild and one of the best educational institutions of the world, is the magnificent Dome as well as 54 larger-than-life bronze statues of some of the greatest saints, scientists and philosophers of all time, all brought to life by 93-year-old veteran Ram Sutar.  Each of the bronze statues weighs nearly 1500 Kg and the installation by itself is an arduous task.

“It was a chance introduction to Swami Vivekananda and his works when I browsed through the words of Vivekananda, waiting for my Mathematics book at a shop. His words had such an impact on me. I went on to read the works of Saint Dnyaneshwara and Saint Tukaram and realized that they were amazing philosophers of our time. The 54 statues that we are installing at the dome signify the union of science, philosophy and spirituality and the essence of Indian culture, philosophy and tradition and the aspect of world peace,” adding that great saints, sages, seers and scientists of India and the world over, including those like Philosopher Saint Francis of Assisi (Italy), Albert Einstein, Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton have made a tremendous impact on his mind and help understand and realize the True Nature of the Self.

The statues will be unveiled by eminent global scientists including Padma Vibhushan Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, Padma Bhushan Dr. Vijay Bhatkar, Dr. Govind Swarup, and eminent personalities of the likes of  Dr. Radha Mohan Singh, Dr. Pramod Kumar, Shree Kisan Maharaj Sakhare, Shree Maruti Maharaj Kurhekar,  Shree Bapu Saheb More, Shree Tulshiram Karad, Dr. Virendra Heggade, Muni Tarun Sagar, Hazrat Shaikh Biyabani, Arif Mohammad Khan, Feroz Bakht Ahmed, Hridaynath Mangeshkar among others, August 15 onwards leading to October 2.   

On Gandhi Jayanti, the imposing monumental dome clad in the finest marble, the vision of Vishwanath of the blend of Science, Spirituality and Philosophical aspects in life for the welfare of mankind, will be open to the world. 

Padma Vibhushan Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, FRS and a man of sophistication and intellect says, “an amazing creation from an amazing man is how I would define the structure. Many people have ideas but to execute it is not easy that too in such a short time. I have always heard the words ‘world peace’ from him and now he has created a unique world peace library and dome that will be there forever, speaking for the cause.”

Padma Bhushan Dr. Vijay Bhatkar, Chairman - Organizing Committee as well as Chancellor - Nalanda University, and a globally renowned Computer Scientist avers, “the World Parliament will witness perhaps one of the largest congregations of recent times of scientists, religious leaders and philosophers from several countries across the world. It will make a clarion call for harmony across religions and philosophies and integration with the contemporary scientific thought of one in many and many in one that is emerging out of the latest explorations in quantum reality.”

And now the saints, scientists and philosophers will stand tall from August 15 at MIT, Vishwarajbaug awaiting the timeless World Peace Monument to open its doors on October 2, marking newer beginnings for Mother India’s quest for World Peace.

ANPIC’s OTIA launch sees Parliamentarians Pinaki Mishra, Shabana Azmi urge for patronage for Indian art to flourish!

With Odisha to soon be the venue for India’s first private sector Triennial, Odisha Triennial of International Art (OTIA) will see India’s national and the international art scene converge in three major cities of Odisha, namely Bhubaneshwar, Puri and Konark.
 OTIA, the brainchild of Artists Network for Promoting Indian Culture (ANPIC) headed by its Managing Trustee, Mr. Sashanka Mohapatra, was formally launched in Bhubaneswar and New Delhi in May and June of this year.

The OTIA Mumbai Declaration at NGMA, Mumbai was graced by MP Pinaki Mishra, five times National Award-winning eminent actress and MP Shabana Azmi, actors Rohit Roy and Kavitta Verma, designer Nikita Mohanty, veteran artists Lalita Lajmi, Prabhakar Kolte, Nayanaa Kanodia, Sashanka Mohapatra, artists Brinda Miller, Padmanabh Bendre, Suhas Bahulkar, Dadiba Pundole, Gautam Patole, Sanjukta Barik, Akhilesh Jaiswal, Maushmi Ganguly, Shabari Smita Guha Nath, Mallikarjun Katke, Kuldeep Karegaonkar, Vipta Kapadia, Vishwa Sahni, Sonu Gupta among others. India’s topmost curator and art historian, JohnyML, OTIA’s Curatorial Director, Mumbai based artist and Educationist, Rajendra Patil ‘PaRa’ as Mentor-Director of OTIA and Kshitish Das Program Coordinator were also present.

OTIA will be a 40 day-long mega art event with over 100 Indian artists of the likes of Jatin Das, Sudhir Patwardhan, Prabhakar Kolte, K.S.Radhakrishnan, Ravinder Reddy, Jogen Chowdhury, Laxman Gowd among others.

MP Pinaki Mishra said, “OTIA is a noble venture. It flew out of an idea of very bright and talented youngsters from Raghurajpur that has extraordinary talent per square inch. Every home is home to art and artisans. I would like to invite you back this winter and spend a couple of days to understand how much talent is prevalent and nurtured and is left undiscovered. That is the real motive of OTIA and the Triennial, and anything we can do to make it a success.  It is a challenging and daunting task but young people bring strong energies and exceptionally gifted mentors. Well begun is half done and I am privileged to part of it.”

Added  Shabana Azmi, “My father had inculcated art in me since I was a child. I have been watching plays, going to galleries, since my childhood. It has created a climate of sensitivity sublimely in me. In today’s times, where the entire world is driven by the market, we have to make a special attempt to say that we nurture art that doesn’t apply to market but says something much more important.

“We need to recognise that art has flourished over the years as it has had patronage. Mr Pinaki Mishra is here and I think it is very important that if in parliament we can get our parliamentarians to agree what an important part art has in shaping the personality of individuals, in creating the respect for diversity for inclusion for multilingual, multicultural society. It is also important that organisations and government should come together to create a climate in which change can possibly occur. I would congratulate it. I understand how it is important to be mentored by those in the profession and congratulations to all of you.”

Sashanka Mohapatra, the Founder Director of OTIA expressed that OTIA is an international platform where the international artists could exhibit along with the national artists of India and the artists from the Odisha state in particular, while JohnyML underlined that while most of the international events are generally high-browistic, this his global Triennial will see local aesthetics stand shoulder to shoulder with the international art, integrating art, music, dance, theatre, film, craft and literature, being the first of its kind ever.

The only disability is a bad attitude

Out of 120 million population of our country, 6.3% have hearing difficulties and out of that 60% are kids. Out of that, only 5% of the population is getting correct treatment and eventually become self-dependant.

Audiologist-speech therapist Devangi Dalal feels that Instead of treating the rest of the hearing impaired people as a liability to our country, we should work towards creating awareness and with a dedicated approach we should work towards converting them into useful assets of the society.

Says she, “Anyone can have less hearing because of Wax or middle ear problem, cough & cold, sensory neural loss. Wax i.e. outer ear problems and middle ear problems can be treated with medication and surgeries. However sensory neural losses can only be treated with hearing aids or cochlear implants surgeries. These treatments can be given according to the individual requirements and cannot be done across the counter. It is a process one has to go through. Right diagnosis, right technology and proper rehabilitation - right mix of this entire process one can produce wonderful results.”

Adds Dalal, “Hearing and listening are very important for communication. We must know how to take care of it and prevent any damages to it. We take utmost care and due diligence in investing in technologies for TV, Mobiles and other electronics devices but ignore them while investing in right Hearing aids to overcome our hearing disability, which can actually change our lives !!!”

Dalal along with Dr Jayant Gandhi runs the Josh Foundation where she helps thousands of hearing impaired children across India.